Silver ( A Storm x Thor Fanfic )
by DanzaFantasma
Summary: When the lightning collides, so begins the gales of romance between Thor Odinson and Ororo Munroe. The future is written across the sky in booming flashes of light and dark...What does the grey web of fate have in store for the God of Thunder and the Weather Witch?... ( Many character Cameos, including Loki ) ( Rated M for some highly romantic content, language and violence )
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The wind blew harshly outside as the night set in, it was apparent that the coming storm was going to be rather vicious. Two figures clamored down the strangely empty street, ducking into the warm lights of the Hawk Place apartment building. The doorman looked a tad nervous as he ushered them in.

" Are you sure about this, Ororo? "

" Yes, he said we could use it for tor a few days. "

" By all might, what a time to be in this blasted city." Storm and Thor took the elevator and she slid in the key to the penthouse. Hawk Place wasn't the tallest building in that pocket of Manhattan, but it was certainly historic and quite lovely. The elevator opened to the penthouse apartment and the two walked in, taking a moment to absorb the beautiful, simple white and mahogany wood furnishings.

" It's a nice little place" Thought Ororo, taking her coat off.

" So Stark owns this abode as well? " Thor asked,

" You would be surprised what he owns." He turned on a few of the lamps and shut the windows to the darkening city. "

The power might go out, but we need to be ready to help anyone if it gets too harsh."

" But my lady, is there not something you can do about this cyclone? "

" I could try. But there would be a problem…I control localized storms with my electromagnetism and these then dissipate. I'm afraid this cyclone storm they call 'Sandy' is too large for me to ever fully control." She looked down and Thor came to her and held her for a moment. His dark blue eyes met hers, more silver than the lining of rain-heavy clouds in front of the sun.

" Some things, must be left to the will of the universe. We must use our power to help those we can."

" I know. "

" We should disrobe of these wet clothes; it seems Stark had our things sent ahead of us." He looked at the two small luggage bags near the couch. The night went on and the wind picked up, howling through the urban canyons of Manhattan, melancholy and powerful.

Thor wasn't too sure about how Ororo was feeling these days, ever since Blank Panther annulled their marriage, and his brother Loki had attempted to kidnap her on several occasions, successfully on one. She was a strong woman, no doubt, but lately she was quite distant. It almost seemed that her smiles and poise was a facade made of beautiful, but delicate glass. Thor felt an overwhelming duty to protect the Weather Witch now.

He sat on the large, California king mattress in a robe, watching the flashing, whispering images on the flat-screen, with disinterest. The shower was going in the adjacent bathroom. _I won't bother her right now…_ He thought. He slipped on the pair of plush grey slippers, feeling a bit odd in them and went over to the kitchen where an electronic wine cellar was next to the dishwasher.

_Hmmph. Of course, Stark would only have stock of the finest old Merlot and Bourbon he could find._ He thought with a chuckle removing the bottle and taking it, an ice holder and two small glasses back to the bedroom. He placed them on the antique night stand and proceeded to light a few candles. _I should not get too accustomed to the, power being on but I suppose I could try and fix that problem when it happens…_

He leaned back on the bed in the dim light again, wrapped in his robe, gold hair damp, but drying. The news forecaster spoke of the storm only getting worse into tomorrow. The door to the bathroom opened, releasing a plume of steam and Ororo walked out with her pale hair in a towel and her body in simple white lace shift. Thor tried not to stare, but it was short and the light lacy silk contrasted her deep skin tone so gracefully. She laid herself down on the bed and her head hit the downy pillow with an exhausted breath.

" Are you alright, my lady? "

" Yes." There was a bit of silence and they both became aware of the wind picking up outside. _Zap._ The room was suddenly cloaked in darkness, save for the reddish flickering of the candles on the nightstand.

"Wine?"

"Why not?" Thor poured a glass of the vintage wine into the glasses and handed one to her.

" Mm. I would expect Stark to have only the best varieties of wines in his what? Vacation Penthouse? " Ororo said with a chuckle taking a rather good drink.

" That is the same thing I thought." He closed his eyes and took a sip.

Ororo glanced over at him. The lines of his form were cast into a dramatic play of candle-light and shadow; the sharpness of his jaw and nose and lips, the way his robe was open a bit at the bulges and lines of his chest. Ororo hadn't really taken a good looked at him this way before, after all they had only been traveling together for about three Weeks, ever since he had rescued her from Loki and about a year after T'challa had annulled their…

She closed her eyes and shut off the train of thought before it welled over onto her face._ I do enjoy his company…but I don't want his pity._ She thought, taking another hearty drink of her wine. She felt warmer now, fresh from a delightfully searing shower and wrapped in silk. She beckoned for him to refill her glass. Thor glanced over at her, wrapped in the show of light between the dimness of the window and room. She held her wine as regally as a queen…she was a queen, to him, at least. _I will never let Loki take her again like that, ever, that I promise. _

" Ororo…are you melancholy?"

It took her a moment to answer, as she seemed to be wrapped up in thought.

" Earthly troubles are like lightning, and we both know the ways of lightning. They strike, the two polarities meet and for a moment nothing else matters. And then it is gone. "

" I see, that is an excellent deduction. The way I see lightning, however, differs from yours. The power of lightning exists therein anything and everything, yet only a few can harness it, such as you and me. Yes, lightning strikes, it flashes and passes…but if the potential doth already exist within the heart of all, is it not eternal?"

" Hmm. I suppose so. " She said, her glass of wine almost finished. She placed the glass on the other nightstand as the rain and wind picked up outside, turning over afterwards and burying her face in the pillow.

" Ororo? " Thor scooted closer to her and held her. The towel unraveled from her head revealing curly, ivory hair that smelled richly of flowers and wasn't fully dry.

" My lady, what is wrong? "

" I-I don't know…I don't want you to see me like this."

" I think of you no different now than I thought of you before." Ororo peered up at him, with his deep blue eyes staring right into her. She was cradled in his arms, his robe had fallen to his shoulders and she eyed the curvature of his biceps and pectoral muscles. He was quite warm as well. Thor gazed upon her gently.

" I will protect you when you need me to. I am well aware of your abilities and power; you are a goddess to me, if you don't consider yourself truly one." Ororo was entranced…she didn't know if it was the wine or just them being so close for the first time ever. Their heads drew close together and their lips, as if drawn by electromagnetism, met in an eternal instant.

He smiled at her and for the first time in a while, Ororo felt her troubles receding. As the ocean moved in around the land outside her troubles vaguely receded giving way to other feelings…

He kissed her once again, their lips moving in unison and she drew her arms up around him, holding him as he held her. There was an intensity building in his eyes one that unnerved her yet also excited her. Ororo's mercurial eyes looked about to spill over as he kissed her again; his tongue dancing upon her's and trailed his lips down her neck to her collarbone. The Weather Witch bared her neck to the Thunder God allowing him to kiss her skin all over. He tentatively tugged at the neckline of her shift and she allowed him to tug it down, baring her breasts. Thor took in the sight of Ororo leaning back on the bed, a cascade of white curly hair falling from her head, her nightdress pulled down to reveal round breasts and dark brown nipples exposed to the dim lights of the room.

" By all might…My lady, Ororo Munroe, you beautiful. " He gasped and then descended upon her chest, kissing and suckling her breasts, tenderly, her skin smelling and tasting of coconut and tropical essence. Ororo leaned back on her hands and uttered a small sigh as Thor savored and held her; she felt his strong hands caress her skin, his soft lips brushing her skin. She inhaled deeply and felt herself growing vividly alive. Thor pulled her soft shift down more, down below the dip of her stomach and over her wide hips and muscular thighs, down her calves and feet, kissing their perfect little toes before tossing the gown aside. He beheld her as one would a precious, freshly cut diamond. Her ebony form was a grand study of supple, wild curves, lying on the bed with tousled white curls in the candlelight. She lightly bit her lip and stared at him, who leaned at the foot of the bed. He had always felt the need to protect and serve the Weather Witch but now the intensity of how he wanted, no, needed to take her was unbearably intense.

Ororo saw him there, that look was so heated, more heated than she ever knew him to be. He looked as if he craved her. Thor untied his robe and let it fall off. She smiled as she beheld him. His body was a golden play of muscles from his arms to his torso, to the dip of his hip bones and down below to his impressive pride, standing at attention.

" My my..Thor, I had no idea! " She smiled and uttered a small laugh and he smirked back.

" Doeseth my form please you m'lady?"

" Yes Thor, yes it does. Now…you desire to serve me, no? "

" Oh, most definetly, yes. "

" Then serve my body's desire well, my Thunder God."

" I will indeed…" Thor leaned into her and parted her supple legs, kissing a trail upon her inner thighs and to her the folds of her womanhood.

" Ahh…" She tensed and let out a small moan as she felt herself pulsing and his tongue moving around and tasting her. He rubbed the muscles of her inner thigh and delicately tasted her, running his tongue along the folds and then plunging it deeper, lapping at her wetness.

" Ah!" Ororo moaned again, pleasure building deep inside. His hungry tongue found her center of pleasure and began to suckle and nibble. Her head leaned back into the pillow and she closed her eyes, letting the sensations wash over her.

" Yes…like that…" She moaned as he continued to taste her deeply, he plunged two fingers inside of her and she groaned again. Thor moved his finger and tongue on her in unison and Ororo cried out. Her cries made his manhood pulse and pull with eagerness.

" Oh…yes!" She clawed the sheets and flexed her toes, tilting her hips and feeling her pleasure burst, sending her through waves of electric sensation.

" Ahh! " She cried in a burst of breath. Thor moved his fingers, feeling her depths clasp tight. His own need tugged and tightened fiercely at him.

" Oh…Thor."

" My lady, Ororo may I join within you? " She looked at him and heard the strain in his deep voice. The animal hunger in those eyes… She hadn't let anyone physically in since T'challa…or mentally in either, for that matter. Ororo wanted so much to forget about him and she silenced those thoughts. This God of Thunder was standing there as if he was starving and she was a gourmet five course meal laid out before him.

" Yes, yes you can. Take me, God of Thunder! Satisfy my desires." He crawled up on top if her and pinned her, kissing her deeply and with urgency.

" My Weather Princess….I want you as mine…" She smiled and kissed him again. He held and drove his quivering manhood into her slick, warm depths as her plush lips were on his. His strokes were powerful and deep as he plunged into her again and again, loosing himself in the pleasure and rhythm of their love. Storm shouted out as Thor made love to her, thrusting deeply and fanning the flames of sensation inside her. She moved her hips in unison with his. He drove harder and she could have sworn the air crackled and sparked for a moment.

" I..l don't want to hurt you…" He gasped to her, his eyes a bit plaintive to hers. " You won't, Thor….you won't, trust me. Give me more, Thunder God! " She sighed and Thor picked her sable legs up over his shoulders, driving deep into her warmth. Her eyes began to shine white and he emanated glowing lines of electricity. The bed creaked harshly and the mahogany wood of the headboard began to split a bit in a few places.

" Oh, Ororo!"

" Thor! Yes! Yess!" She grasped onto him and hollered out in waves pleasure, feeling the little, playfully icy electric shocks he gave off as little currents of air whirled around them putting out the candles instantly. A ping noise sounded as the lights snapped on briefly and sputtered out. She could have sworn a loud booming noise sounded somewhere but she couldn't really concentrate on it as she lost herself in a million wonderful spasms. He felt himself heat up like wildfire and tense up, his muscles contracted with pleasurable sensations and he emptied his statically charged seed deep inside of Ororo in an unearthly powerful thrust.

The headboard creaked and then almost separated, but remained in it's position. There was silence again, save for the howling wind whipping up trails of cold rain outside. In the silvery darkness of the penthouse, Storm and Thor's deep breathing was the only thing that could be heard. His forehead leaned against hers, his wavy gold hair hanging, as they rested on and within each other.

" My Lady, are you alright?" He said between breaths. She was silent and a spark of panic rose as he feared he might have hurt her.

" I am okay…more than okay." She said, gazing up at him with a starry look.

" As if you didn't know, I can take a bit of electricity, Thor. "

" I started generating a bit there…but in fairness I know I felt gales in here and no window was open hah…" They chuckled together. Storm savored feeling his weight on her…

He climbed off and lay down next to her. Storm scooted herself next to him, resting her head on his chest and clasped his leg with her thigh. Together their hearts beat as they rested on the white sheets in harmony, a living picture of yin and yang. He put his arm around Storm. He refrained from pouring his heart, from saying how much he loved her, even though he dearly wanted to. She couldn't deny that she felt safe in his arms as she inhaled his hearty scent…it reminded her of tall far away mountains and pine musk. She cared for this man deeply, but her stormy inner emotions lived up to her name and she simply hushed them, unhearing if one howl of wind in her torrential heart spoke of love for Thor. He kissed her again, tenderly and she smiled as their warmth exchanged. Storm's attention then turned to the split mahogany headboard of the bed.

" Um, Thor, how will we fix this?"

" Ehh…I shall figure something." He fondled one of her breasts, simply because he could. Ororo felt herself growing eager again.

" Want to destroy this bed some more?" She smirked.

" Of course, my lady." Their lips met again; So Storm and Thor created undulating, shouting currents of electricity and wind and pleasure deep into the night…

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Tony Stark walked around his Malibu house as the night grew old, checking if everything was locked as he had grown a bit more paranoid of break-ins lately.

" Everything should be locked, sir." Said a butler which Tony dismissed to bed.

I hope they are doing alright. he thought. I heard that storm is getting bad. He walked into his tech room and found the honey bran muffin he had left in there earlier.

" Ooh. Lucky me." He took a bite and was almost about to turn off the security televisions when he stopped and took a few steps back, his jaw hanging open. _Do they realize that I have cams in my vacation places for security purposes?…_ His eyes widened as he looked at screen 6, the bedroom of his New York Hawk Place Penthouse.

" Tony! Are you coming to bed?" A female voice called out from a few rooms away. " Hold onn, give me a few minutes, darling…"

_They are SO paying for that bed. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ororo awoke the next morning wrapped in blankets. Thor was curiously missing from his side.

" Thor?"

" Yes, My Lady?" She could smell him cooking eggs on the gas stove in dim, stormy morning light.

" Oh you're making breakfast? That's very nice of you." Ororo peeked out from the corner that led from the bedroom to the room and open kitchen area. Thor looked up and smiled from behind the counter, he was fully dressed and cooking away. His weather princess hadn't gotten dressed yet and the tips of her curves could be seen from the corner wall. He had absolutely no problem with it.

" I will get dressed, give me a moment."

_Blast it._ He thought, jokingly. The two sat at the table and Ororo helped herself to coffee made on the stove, a bagel with cream cheese and lox and a poached egg. " Doesth thou enjoy the meal? "

" Mm, yes." As she was biting the bagel the lights flickered and turned back on.

" Oh, look." Thor said and he turned the living room flat screen on. The morning news was going.

" Today's damage report on Sandy looks a bit drastic. Many areas of New York and New Jersey are still without power. A generator blew up late last night on the lower east side and flooding is reported."

An image of a massive explosion and a suddenly darkening part of the city flashed on screen. An on-site reporter spoke to an electricity official trudging in water in front of a burning power station.

" Yeeeah Sarah, I watch you all the time on da news, but yeeeah we still cannot pin point da cause of da sudden power surge that blew da generator last night. We flood proofed da thing, the only cause would be that lightning struck a line near us…but we didn't hear no lightning!" The short, mustachoied man scratched his head.

" Well, you hear it here; a generator has blown up on the Lower East Side, back to you Don. " Thor and Storm both looked at each other for a moment, as two kids who had just pinned a note to the back of a teacher. They broke into a hysterical laughter. Still laughing, Storm said:

" Well I'm glad you find devastation hilarious haha."

" You are laughing too."

" Well, what? We might have caused a power surge with our…um..antics."

Their laughs downgraded to a chuckle and stopped as more images of destruction were cast upon the T.V. The news reporter said grimly:

" And much of Seaside Heights is destroyed and flooded, the pier…wow, Judy." The two fighters fell silent.

" Thor…we know what we need to do."

" Yes, indeed, my lady. Let us fix this."

They finished their breakfast quickly and donned their professional outfits; Thor put on his helmet and strapped Mjolnir on and Storm fastened her white cape on. Thor flew to the damaged generator and assisted the grateful workers with the line repair, mending the cables with Mjolnir's cold electricity. He thought of Ororo as he did so, which brought a small smirk to his lips as he worked. Storm flew off to the Jersey Shore where, she solemnly eyed the destruction._ If only I could have had the power to stop it…_ She thought, but the advice she had gotten from the Weather Witches the last time she was in her homeland of Kenya resounded in her head.

" Changing the course of cyclone storms causes catastrophic consequences to the sorceress involved and to the environment…those operate differently. You would likely die and the cyclone would stay the same. Stick to the control of electrical weather cells and monsoons, NOT cyclones. Trust me."

That was the sage advice of D'orachalla an elder of the Weather Witches said to be 180 years old. Still, Storm, thought looking down at the flattened houses as she flew through the windy, still-grey sky… I just wish I could have done something. Storm proceeded to land and using her power to control strong gusts, began the monumental task of pushing the floodwaters back out to sea and assisting the clean-up. At the end of the day, she and Thor met back up to handle a task of a giant crane dangling 80 stories above Manhattan.

" Just move it up a little I'll pull it! "

Thor called as Storm dragged the crane up with all her strength, harnessing the power of electrical poles to pick up, what would have otherwise, been two tons of too heavy construction crane. Thor brought his hammer down upon the supports of the crane's hot metal, electrically charged by Storm, fusing them back together. After a long, cold, gusty job that led into the night, the crane was fixed. The two landed to a crowd of applause and thanks by the workers.

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()

" They seemed quite appreciative." said Thor, walking down the sidewalk with Ororo in arm, her white hair damp and trailing in the breeze. They were both a bit exhausted.

" Yes, they did. I think we did a good job."

They walked back to up to Hawk Place and tossed their outfits off once inside, undamaged due to the amazing fabrics the garments consisted of.

" After you, my Queen." He smiled holding the shower door open to the peachy marble shower. In the plumes of steam and hot water the two lathered and showered together. Thor held Ororo's soapy body to his and she wrapped a leg around, their lips interlocked, and his hands fondling her firm round buttocks. After rinsing they exited and Thor rubbed her body and hair down in rich Argan oil. She winked and put a bit all over him too. Then, Ororo giggled with a twisted up towel and smacked him in his muscled glutes, running out of the bathroom when he said:

" Argh, Ororo! I shall get you for that."

He tackled her to the bed and kissed her deeply. She was smiling up at him as he pinned her and that smile of her's, to Thor, was the most beautiful thing in the world.

" You have a muscle-y pale little ass, you know that?"

" I have a muscle-y? Pale ass?" He just looked puzzled at the statement.

" I have a few dragons back in Asgard…I think there is a mule but I don't remember." Storm held his face and felt the dark gold stubble.

" Haha, Thor, you are too funny!" She broke out laughing, he still didn't quite get it, but if she was happy, so was he. Bob Marley's " Is this Love? " played on the iPod dock. The bedroom smelled of candles and a rich, spicy incense on a holder that Ororo had gathered on her travels in Africa.

" Mm…" She giggled, play-wrestling, and ended up on top of him.

" My lady, by all creation of this realm and the next, none are so beautiful as you." She looked down, pleased with his compliment.

" That is very sweet, Thor. I'm very happy that I have you." She bent down and kissed him, she covered his oiled torso in affection and then she scooted over and placed her mouth lower.

" Ohh….My lady…" He sighed, reclining his head, relaxing and feeling his manhood enclosed in a pair of soft lips. Ororo moved her head up and down on him until he was fully erect and throbbing for her. Ororo scooted herself back up and placed him inside of her, her lush thighs straddling his hips.

" Now, serve me! " She said with a playful smirk.

" Serve you, I will!" He thrust his his hips up as Ororo sighed and bounced up and down. He groaned and bucked himself up into her, heated, hasty and throbbing. Ororo moaned with the beat and slid up and down, her womanhood clasping him tight. They both fell into a rapture of pleasure, a symphony of sorts. Thor was the bass percussions, a low and thrumming rhythm, Ororo was the music, the dancer, the cellos and the horns. Together they made love and physical art. Storm's hair rose and her eyes turned white when her power surged.

" Ahh! Harder! "

" My Goddess, thou giveth me thrills unimaginable; your body is a temple…"

" And you it's servant…"

" That I am…arrghh!" With a final thrust he shot his seed into her powerfully and she pressed her hips against him to receive his statically charged spunk, both rapt in whirling spasms of sensation. She collapsed atop him and kissed the Thunder God gingerly.

" Together we are electric." He smiled and kissed her again, holding her warm sable, body to his, feeling her hanging breasts leaning upon his chest.

" I am surprised that I am not injuring you. When my tensions release I also discharge any unused power I have."

" I felt the shock, but when I empower myself, I can take it and it only adds to my pleasure…it's amazingly strong. You have pleased me well, Thor."

" As have you, my Goddess…" He held her, restraining the one thing he wanted to tell her, afraid it would send her away. _I love her…so much._

Ororo lay in Thor's strong arms, eyes closed, contemplating. _I think I am falling…No, what am I thinking? I cannot be sure of this yet. Can I?_

" Do you want to get take-out? I'm a bit hungry."

" That sounds wonderful." Thor took his phone from the night stand and called the Ming Palace from around the block. Later that night, after a few cartons of Duck Fried Rice, Wontons and Mongolian Beef the two drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It was hard to believe that their stay at the plush, mod, Hawk Place was temporary, but it was. The Hurricane was done and the two had helped the best they could. The two headed back on a flight to California to Stark's Malibu house whose extensive basement doubled as base of operations for the mutants to use.

" Okay, so you two did well and this mission is complete." Said Stark, who spoke to the two, he eyed them curiously, unaware he was staring until Storm looked at him cross.

" Yes? "

" Nothing." Tony chirped and hid his face behind his tablet and walked off to the computer. His Iron Suit was hanging on display while a few others polished it.

" So is there any other tasks at hand?" Thor asked

" Oh there was a lot in hand, in everywhere kinda…"

" What?"

" I mean no, no there is not! Anything…in, I mean at hand."

" Um…alright." Thor looked a bit confused, at the way Stark was acting. Storm crossed her arms and asked:

" So there is nothing left to be done? "

" Certainly not in your case."

" Excuse me?"

" I mean, there is nothing left to do! Either of you, eh… dismissed!" Stark has his back to them while he worked on a computer, he wasn't sure if he wanted to giggle like a schoolgirl or just hide. Storm gave him a "The fuck is his problem?" look and Thor just shrugged.

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()

The two parted their ways, meeting each other on a few work occasions…battling a renegade now and then together…and also met on many non-work occasions.

" Oh Thor, you beast!" Thor pinned storm to the wall of an empty lab one afternoon at one of Xavier's Headquarters and dug his face into her neck. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and she moaned as he stuck a hand under the denim skirt she wore, moving aside her panties and fondling her softer parts.

" What if they find us?"

" Let them"

" That's insane…ohhh!"

He smirked, moving his fingers around between her legs causing her to jerk backwards.

" I shall serve you by pleasuring you, my lady, in all ways possible! "

" Oh myy!"

Upstairs Banshee walked around the pool table waiting for a microwave pizza to finish. _Could have sworn I heard somethin'…. Meh, Beast is probably still down there testing that light distortion dye or something._ He sighed and paced as the microwave hit 00:50.

_ I wonder why that Thor chap has been hanging around so much. Shouldn't he be in like, Norway or something?…Hah. It's sure made Wolverine pissed, I know that much._

The microwave hit 00:25 and a rattling sound of something falling and perhaps an echo of a grunt or sigh could be heard downstairs in the lab…

" Ah, they're going to hear us, Thor!"

" Tis fine my lady, I saw no one up there at the moment, trust me…mm" He had unbuckled his pants and hastily thrust her against the wall. Their moans were restrained but only barely.

" Don't break the wall, dear…oh! There…that's it!"

_What the bloody hell is Beast doing down there anyways, wrestling a bear?_ He scratched his head, about to open the door to go downstairs to investigate when the power surged and flickered back on. He turned and gasped at the microwave, rushing over. The pizza inside had caught fire.

" Damn it, wot a faking waste of good pizza! " He swore and then snapped up a bite.

" Hmm…not burnt too badly now, eh?" And he shrugged and headed over to the lounge where the Irish national Soccer league was squaring off against Manchester. When are Frosty and the kiddies getting back from the Mutant Pride expo? And bloody where is Thor and Storm? His thoughts however were stifled by his enjoyment of the burnt pizza and a swig of cold stout.

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Thor looked out over Asgard and wondered quietly, to himself: I_ love Lady Storm…and I made an oath to protect her…but am I taking advantage of a maiden's heart worn into a fragile state? She always has so many conflictions in her heart, I can see it._ A memory whirled forth upon his vision…it was Loki with a dark grin.

" If thou art keeping that self serving ego of yours…Well, lets just say that Hella, Goddess of death, if you did not know, my brother, will have your soul for all eternity."

" What?" Loki just sneered on his throne and pet his yellow-eyed, black dragon Feldnir, half cloaked in shadow, wrapped around his feet. Red embers and smoke rose from his nostrils.

" She has her eyes on your soul, remember that deal? she can reap any God who falls from grace just as easily as a mere mortal. I just happen to be one of her favorite lovers, so I am safe. Thou'st however…I would be afraid."

And then memory drifted away. _I shan't let my soul drown into the evils of ego again…I cannot give my soul to Hella. I have changed my attitudes on the world. Is my love for Storm pure? Perhaps I need time to think._ He looked down and then at setting sun along the golden horizon. Slepnira, his platinum scaled dragon was out flying across the sky, her scales glittering against the light like wildfire.

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Storm and the X-men participated in the week long Mutant Pride festival in Long Beach, California, a celebration set up by a pact with Dr. X and heads of the State, dedicated to developing peace and understanding between humans and mutants. The late August afternoon was the epitome of Southern California, bright and warm, and breezy.

Jubilee roller-bladed out in the street in shorts and a cropped top, beams of beautiful energy in green, pink and blue, billowing from her hands which she twirled and manipulated into dazzling shapes. Synch bladed out next to her in a dark, stream-lined sports suit, absorbing her power in a multicolored aura and duplicating it perfectly. The duo linked arms and spun around in a shower of colorful energy. The crowd roared and Jubilee skated off with him.

Storm sat atop a float next to Rogue in their signature professional outfits, waving while flurries of confetti billowed past. Rogue smiled and waved in a green and yellow suit cut at the midriff and Storm stood proudly in her shining black bodysuit and white cape. A young girl, sitting on her father's shoulders off to the side, in the crowd yelled:

" Look, that's Storm! She's awesome! Do a trick!"

She smiled and sprung into the air, generating a whirl of wind, lighting the ball of air with electric bolts for the crowd and spinning it in her hands. She tossed it up at the sky and released the hold on the energy, which caused it to crackle and burst into a million sparks.

" Coool! You rock! "

The crowd lifted her spirits a bit. She landed back down next to Rogue.

" Havin' fun?"

" Yep. Haha."

" Well that's good; you seemed a bit down lately."

" There is a lot on my mind." " Oh yeah, I heard."

" I'll survive."

" As long as you know how to love…" Rogue sang the line.

" Rogue, that's a song."

" I know, I'm tryna make ya laugh." She prodded, playfully. Storm chuckled a bit as the float pulled down the road._ Hmm. I know that I enjoy my time with Thor. He has changed a lot in the past few weeks. But am I really ready to move on this soon? Is he just a rebound? Maybe I need a break. Her thoughts were murky and muddled. Tears almost welled up to eyes but she took a deep breath and flicked them away with the tip of one of her French-manicured nails. Why am I crying? This is supposed to be happy…_


	4. Chapter 4

" What are these?!"

Storm called out, in a rush hailing down a lightning bolt.

" Frost Giants " Shouted Thor ducking a blizzard blast from the mouth of one of the furry titans.

" In Southern California? These things are freaking more than a little bit lost! " People with bags of goods from the Trader Joe's and the Pottery Barn ran as fast as they could, screaming. Storm and Thor were surrounded by three 20 foot tall beasts with snowy white fur, each with the build of an ape, and the face and horns of a bull. Apparently, as fate would have it, they wound up working together again. It had been a good month since they had last seen each other. Storm felt a small pain inside of her but dismissed it, there was something else to be attended to here.

Thor called Mjolnir to him and with a blast of lightning eliminated one, who fell over bellowing, exploding into a puff of powdery snow that melted on the pavement. Storm held back another Frost Giant, these lumbering beasts were terrorizing a parking lot in a shopping center near Malibu and Thor and Storm both happened to be nearby on their ways to Stark's for a meeting. One of the giants lifted an SUV with it's horns and hurtled it at Storm who dodged, crashing it to the other side of the parking lot.

Thor deflected a frost blast from the other one. She floated up a bit and lifted her arms with an idea. The sky above was a bit cloudy and muggy, early fall weather. Her eyes turned white and she summoned the clouds to part, baring the sun's rays onto the parking lot. She concentrated and intensified the sun beams, as if with a magnifying glass onto the remaining Frost Giants trying to escape to the street with slow steps. Their steps became even slower…and slower, their clawed feet became stuck to the asphalt and as the heat burned on, collapsed, dissolving into large puddles of water.

" That was a brilliant idea, my lady."

" Why thank you Thor." She smiled at the hammer wielding Thunder God, who smiled back gleaming in a silver armor-like suit. Suddenly something burst down from the sky like a rocket and landed a bit roughly, crashing into a shrub near a Ross.

" Okay, where are these things!?" It was Stark in his Iron Man suit. He popped up and powered up an arm canon aiming for the parked cars.

" Tony, Tony, we handled it." Said Storm. Iron Man just looked around and powered down his canon.

" Aw. Well that sucks. I wanted to test this new heat laser upgrade."

Storm laughed and then stumbled a bit, her head was swimming. The sun looked too bright and the last thing she remembered was Thor turning sideways, running to her before the world went black.

()

()

()

" ohh…"

She awoke to the sight of a coconut fan slowly rotating. To the side was a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. It was the tropical decor of one of the bedrooms in Stark's mansion. Thor was right there next to the bed with a glass of water, looking worried.

" My lady, are you well?"

" I guess." She mumbled trying to sit up, a wave of nausea flooded her senses and she shook her head trying to dissipate it.

" Here, partake of this." He handed her the glass and she drank a little bit which helped.

" Thank you." Thor looked at Storm on the bed, genuinely worried of what overcame such a usually strong woman. He gingerly brushed a bit of white hair from her face and felt her head.

" Slightly feels of warmth."

" A fever, you mean?" Storm was not used to feeling this out of sorts. _It couldn't have been the fight, I didn't even strain myself. That was easy._

" Oh, Ororo, you're up, good." Tony Stark appeared at the door way, looking up from his tablet.

" We got scared there for a moment. How do you feel?"

" Better. Thank you for helping me." She said, staring out at the panoramic window of the room. " Oh, don't thank me, this guy right here picked you up and had you over here even before I got here." Tony pointed to Thor who smiled a bit embarrassed.

" Is this true?"

" Affirmative, my lady." Storm smiled weakly at Thor who knelt beside her.

" Hmm." Said Tony,

" 'my lady'…so chicks dig that kind of lingo? Gotta try that one on my little Pepper next time I screw up." And he walked off in thought, mumbling in his usual eccentric manner.

" I'm not usually so weak like this.." She coughed a bit, trying to suppress another wave of nausea.

" I am aware. You are a very strong and beautiful woman. I am concerned with your welfare, m'lady."

" You are so nice."

" I have missed thou over the past lunar cycle." He picked up her hand and kissed it, holding it in his hands and looking at her with those deep blue eyes of his. His stubble had grown out a bit.

" You mean month?"

" Yes."

Ororo's mind was running again. They had both distanced themselves from each other for a while but now she realized how much she missed him as well. I_ wonder if I do…have…strong feelings for him. Or is it that I missed that wonderful, wild fling feeling I had with him?_

Thor's mind was going too. _I do believe that I love this maiden. I had my share of doubts…perhaps I had only loved her because I feared the wrath of Hella and attempted to change my ways. But alas…I could not remove Ororo from the orifices of my mind if I tried._

" Hellooo." There was a knock at the doorway and a lithe redhead in a blouse and pencil skirt appeared with a cup of steaming liquid. It was Tony's girlfriend Pepper. " Here you are, I brought you this, it's ginger and a few other herbs that help nausea." She handed Ororo the cup and smiled a bit nervously.

" Thank you, Pepper."

" You're welcome." There was a bit of an awkward silence. Somewhere else in the house, the song " Don't Stop Believing." blasted.

" Oh Tony is blasting Journey again." She stuck her head out the door and began yelling out " Tony, turn that down! This lady is sick and-"

" It's okay."

" Oh, oh okay. I should go." She laughed nervously and adjusted her glasses. " Again, thanks, this tea is helping."

" No problemo. Ohh and I am no doctor buut I did study to be a nurse, for like, a few months before I picked my Major…there could be a couple of reasons you fainted out of the blue."

" Oh?" She and Thor glanced over at her.

" Eheh yep. You could have a cold or flu. It could be dehydration. Or it could be pregnancy…that is a sign, you know."

Storm choked on her tea briefly and then swallowed it. " It's probably dehydration." She said

" Ohh okay! I'd see a mutant specialist doc about that when you can." She chirped, waved and then walked out. There was a long silence between the two. Thor glanced at her in thought; he seemed a bit dazed, even.

" Ororo, do you believe?…"

" I don't know." Her thoughts raced underneath a serene exterior, in tides of panic and logic. _I was with Thor, specifically on the days that I wasn't fertile. That's why I was a bit reckless with myself. I know my cycles…but what if? What if?! _

" My lady…" He held her hands and looked in her eyes, plaintively. She hadn't ever seen him like that.

" Thor, I'm going to need you to run a quick little errand, for me."

() () ()

On the black and white camera of a Malibu Walgreen's a rather tall man in a blonde pony-tail strolled into the store wearing Dodgers cap, black rimmed glasses, a plaid shirt, jeans and sneakers. Whenever Thor tried to be discreet, he almost always ended up as indiscreet as a frightened giraffe in a ceramic shop. He whistled past a few people and stared at the chips for a moment.

" My, these are very fine wares you have acquired here. Very fine indeed."

" Um, dude, I don't work here." said an adolescent in a Nirvana t-shirt and flip flops. Thor took a bag of Cheez-Ees from the shelf and took a very good look at it, as if it were a precious pearl.

" Ah, such an item is full of…Hydrolyzed soy protein and cheese flavoring. We must always make sure to get our daily satiation of hydrolyzed soy protein and cheese flavoring, am I correct?"

" Uh. Yeaaah." and the boy walked off, albeit nervously. Thor shook his head with the bag in hand and walked to the Greeting Cards and Magazines aisle.

" Oh no. Brad and Angelina have gotten into another dispute. It seems a maiden named Jennifer is being quite jealous. Oh look, tips on how to achieve a firm toned butt."

" Are you talking to me?" Said an older woman in a small cashmere sweater.

" Well, yes. And smite the Gods! Look! Kim Kardashian looks dreadful in those dressings. She is an hourglass not a square shape, and a summer, not a winter. Well that is in accordance with the author of this script."

" I don't have time for this." The lady walked off in a huff. Thor ducked into the aisle over, with his Weekly Gossip magazine and Cheez Eez bag. He looked around and quickly grabbed a pregnancy test from the shelf, using the periphery of the store to reach the cashiers, grabbing a Totally Rasberry Antiox Water from the fridge while he was at it.

" Fine day we are having, eh merchant? "

" Yep."

" Nothing of a suspicious nature here. Just purchasing a few items."

" Mm hmm." The woman rang up the pregnancy test.

" Oh and that isn't because I think my paramour is with child. My child. Oohhh noo. Even though…she and I would create a lovely child together." He said, staring off into space. "My handsome visage…her beautiful visage…our power…A new Asgardian! Well part, Asgardian. I simply do not know how she feels about it…and my father…" Thor said, although the cashier was finished ringing up his items, already.

"hmmmph I will just inform him that there is not a thing that he can do about this. Not unless he wishes to invoke my wrath. Nary a titan can change my mind!" He said holding his fist to the ceiling. A line had formed behind him and the patrons were getting annoyed.

" 'Ey you, Blondie down in front, we don't wanna hear ya life story! Buy the stuff and give us a turn!"

" Yeah." The crowded line agreed with the old heckler.

"And my unstable brother! I do not even wish to contemplate that!"

" Sir?" The cashier had her face leaning on her hand.

" Whichever adversity comes our way, I shall protect her and our progeny, if she is impregnated and even if she is not!"

" SIR! " The lady shouted.

" YES, MERCHANT?" He smiled, feeling confident again.

" cash, credit or debit?"

" Debit…I do have a Gold Card after all."

" That's nice 15.32, sir. Thank you very much." Thor marched out of the Walgreens for Stark's place where Storm was resting, assured he had done a wonderful job of acting natural.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Storm marched out of the bathroom with two sticks in hand; her mind had just flat-lined in shock. The tabs were both bright blue.

" I'm pregnant." She said, still in shock. Thor's eyes widened and he appeared thunderstruck for a moment. Then he stood up and held Ororo tight in his arms. " By all Valhalla…you are with child! My child…" He exclaimed and he smiled brightly. Ororo smiled at him, impressed by his enthusiasm, although she was greatly troubled herself.

" I don't understand though…We did it when I wasn't at my most fertile. I am not sure how this happened."

" I am not too sure either, my love. This was fated." _Fated._ Ororo thought to herself, there was a million thoughts on her mind. Thor held her in the embrace for a moment and stood back, leaning against the wall.

" I, Thor Odinson, God of Thunder, am going to be a father!" He laughed and looked up, both hands over his mouth. Ororo crossed her arms and shook her head with a smile upon her lips and raging storms in her mind. _What will come of this? T'challa and I did not work out because of my duties with the X-Men, and now I am going to have a baby? This is all so sudden! Ah!_ A voice sounded out at the doorway.

" Did a certain nosy, billionaire inventor just overhear something about some extended stay guest slash fellow Avenger becoming a father?" Tony popped into the guestroom with a smirk.

" You are correct, Stark."

" We-he-ell, congratulations, my man." Tony walked up to Thor and gave him a gruff, patting hug.

" I heard it toooo!" Pepper chirped from down the hall and ran up to Ororo, holding her hands and grinning.

" You're gonna have a baby! Congratulations!" She jumped, clapping, hugging her and giggling.

_Perpetually Perky Pepper Potts_, thought Ororo.

Outside of the window, however, they were being watched by two piercing yellow eyes. Careful to avoid detection by Thor, the only person in that room that could see a dragon, Feldnir listened to the conversation. He had heard enough. Loki's loyal pet leapt off of the oceanic cliffs and, with a sonic blast of it's wings, bolted off into the afternoon sky.

" Thank you, Pepper." Ororo said to the happy young woman, while her mind reeled.

_What am I going to do now?_

_()  
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"My Lady…I have something I want to ask you."

" Yes?"

The two looked out over the Malibu Mountains, after taking a long, relaxed horse ride from Stark's mansion. There was a sound of strappy leather boots lightly tapping the ground the ground as she held the reigns of her horse as they approached the end of the hill's trail and the Lookout. She felt her stomach through the floral white blouse and camisole, barely a slight firmness that pressed against the waist of her jeans, still very undetectable under her shirt.

" Firstly, are you well?"

" Yes. I'm fine, Thor…"

Thor was more nervous than usual, in his plaid shirt and jeans that Stark had loaned him, unaware of the "hipster" prank that Stark was probably playing on him; nonetheless, it did not look too bad. He could feel his heart pounding. He dismounted his horse and put an arm around her. They both stared at the blazing sun, setting under the deep Pacific.

" This is beautiful." Ororo said looking out fondly at the vista.

" Indeed. Nary as beautiful as thou, however."

" Aww." The only sounds that surrounded were the whispering roar of waves below the cliffs below, the emerging chorus of crickets and the hush of breeze around them. Ororo took a deep breath, almost as if she knew what was going to happen next.

" My lady…"

He stood in front of her, holding her shoulders and kissed her.

" Yes?"

" Ororo, will you marry me?"

A wide smile crossed her face as Thor lowered himself to one knee and presented a ring to her. It was silver with a beautifully clear emerald center surrounded by two glimmering star sapphires. Her smile was soon crossed by the paths of tears rolling down her face.

" Thor, I-"

" I can think of nary a thing which would bring me more happiness." She took a deep breath and felt her heart fluttering, she began to panic. _This is all too…oh my… _

" Please Ororo, don't walk away…"

" Give me a moment. This is a big decision." Storm walked down the trail and around the bend, wiping her eyes to prevent her mascara from running, her heart in turmoil.

Thor watched on as she walked away, his heart sinking more and more with each step she took. Ororo leaned against a willow tree by the side of the trail in deep thought.

_What am I gonna do? The word marriage frightens me and I have fought countless monsters and renegade mutants. What am I doing? Do I truly love that man? This started out as just a fling, an escape. I was reckless but I also thought I was safe. I am pregnant now…_ She placed her hands on the invisible presence in her belly. Ororo never thought she would end up like this. Much as unrest flooded her mind: _And he actually seemed really excited about it…I can't say that I am disappointed, this could derail my duties with the X-Men, but I could maybe work something out._ The idea of having a child crossed her mind before but she was always too busy to formally consider. _I guess Fate has a way with working things out…_ She took a deep breath and looked up through the sweeping willow branches laden with darkening twilight. _Poor Thor. I just left him there. Ugh. I didn't think I'd be doing this again, but I can't kid myself anymore. I love Thor. Me, Storm, that Storm who vowed to not let her heart get stolen again…loves that sad, strong man standing up that trail._ She thought, walking back.

_ I've done it…I've done it, I've sent her away! I shall returning to Asgard, for I have never known such pain._ He thought with a tormented mind. He took out his hammer Mjolnir and flung it upwards, taking off into the sky.

" Thor, wait!"

Storm saw him fly up over the sea in a huff. She activated her own power and took a thrilling leap off the lookout, with at least a hundred foot drop down and ascended on the wind, her white hair whipping about.

" Thor!" Thor looked around, hundreds of feet above the rolling, dark blue waves of the ocean and looked at the ring in his hand. He twirled Mjolnir in the other hand by an indestructible silver cord designed by an Asguardian smith on it's handle, allowing him to maintain a hovering flight for a bit.

The lights of the city of Malibu and the traveling cars on PCH glimmered on the distance. _Then what means this simple stone then? It just reminds me of my own foolery. I have no use for it, let the depths become thy abode._ He held it tightly to his chest and then raised it above his head when he heard a voice in the distance and saw something flying fast in his direction.

" Thor, wait!" Storm appeared and stopped, hovering in front of him on a twirl of air. The cold and salted winds blew around them as the sun's last ray dipped below the horizon, leaving them wrapped in the indigo shadow of early dusk. He looked at her and she saw the lines sadness drawn on his face and the despair in his eyes, which matched the dark hues around them.

" I have something that I need to tell you."

" Yes?" " But it is kind of hard to tell you when you go careening off halfway to Catalina Island." She crossed her arms and he just floated there, his head down, spinning the glimmering silver hammer to stay airborne.

" My answer…is yes."

" What?" It suddenly felt as if the oxygen were exploding back into his lungs, as if she had just pulled him up from the icy waters far below them.

" I don't know where you're heading off to, we're engaged now, right?" She winked and Thor smiled brightly, bursting out into a hearty and somewhat nervous laughter. He collided with her in mid-air, high over the Pacific ocean at dusk and held her tightly.

" Of course, my lady…I have n'er been so happy as I am now!"

" Haha."

" I was not going to leave you, Ororo. I couldn't stand the thought of loosing you. I suppose, I simply lost my head for a moment."

" Aw you know…I just needed time to think, Thor. You know what I've been through." " My apologies, lady Storm…"

" It's fine. I love you."

" And I love you. I love you with all mine heart." His eyes burned with tears and so did her's as they buried their emotions into each other. He placed the silver ring on her finger and she eyed it with a smile.

"Shall we, my lady?"

"Of course." Storm giggled and bolted off in a resounding crackle of charged air current, coasting on the wind and Thor threw Mjolnir, following close behind. She dove down near the sea and then spiraled straight up, spiraling at a 90 degree angle into the dusky sky.

" I'll catch you yet!"

" Nyah nyah, no you won't"

" We shall see about that!"

The two superhumans laughed as they twirled and swirled around each other, freely as birds, shooting off back towards the Malibu cliff-sides.

() () ()

Tony Stark was out on his beach-side deck, lit with tiki torches, with Pepper stringing some the Christmas lights up, as it was late November now.

" Okay, I got this, I did great, I'm the man. Reinaldo, get me a martini."

He said when finished and Pepper plugged both sides of the extension cable in, lighting the deck further with tiny blinking green and red lights.

" Pretty good, nothing exploded this year." She nodded in a not-bad expression. " I call it, Back to Basics." She gave him a high five and then he clasped the little red-head's hand with his, pulling her to him for a kiss.

" Ah, Toooony, hehe.." He sat down on his outdoor recliner with her in his lap. " You look good in red, babe."

" Aw, thanks!" She giggled and he tickled her playfully. As he held her, however, is attention turned to the wondrous vista off the deck of his house. It was almost fully night, but near the hills, which were off a mile or two from his house, he made out two darting figures, one glowing slightly white.

" Ah there they are. And I bet they're coming back from the Stables and they're gonna be all happy. And I bet they're gonna crash here again. And ruin my furniture. Again." Pepper heard him and gasped.

" Ah, IS that why you were mad about a broken bed?"

" Ugh, I don't wanna talk about it."

" Alright, dear. Calm down."

" I love how my place is the universal crash pad for my Avenger teammates and even the X-men. It brings so much abundant joy to my heart.

" He rolled his eyes and laughed a bit exhaustively.

" Oh, Tony." She whacked him lightheartedly. " You know you don't mind, am I right? Uh-huh. Yeah, I thought so." She wrapped her arms around him and enjoyed the view and Elvis music coming from in the house. Tony sighed and called out to the help:

" Yo Reinaldo, make that martini a scotch. Straight on the rocks, and preferably in an IV bag…"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

" Is this amount of gold suitable for a decent betrothal ceremony in this hall? I had this transmuted from Asgard, so it should all be good and well. What say you?" Thor said, dropping a sack of medium gold bars on the counter in the lobby of the Hilton Gardens hotel in Vegas. The cashier just stood there with his mouth agape. " Uhh I'm gonna have to call my manager first…" The young man's voice cracked and he picked up the phone, staring at the gold.

()

()

()

The news of the wedding broke to the other X-men and Avengers. Stark recommended that the wedding to be held in Las Vegas at the Hilton Gardens, which Ororo and Thor both agreed would be best in this situation. The dressing room was filled with three super humans and one human, technically. Ororo peeked out at the small crowd forming outside on the chairs and then went back to her dressing room. Jean Grey, Rogue and Pepper were there, assisting her.

" I think this is a good choice of dress." Rogue said, adjusting it, while Ororo had her arms out. She looked in the mirror at the gown that they helped pick out for her at a shop near the Hotel. It was a strapless, empire-waisted, creamy white dress. Her shoes were glistening silver and gold pumps. She wore small sapphires on her ears and the girls were threading small yellow flowers into her hair, which was in many little white curls and half-up behind a sparkly little tiara.

" Well, I had to choose something kind of flow-y, not too clingy to the tummy area. I kinda don't want everyone and their mama to know that I am well…gonna be a mama, at least not yet."

" Still can't believe that part either. It's wonderful, though." Said Jean Grey, fiddling with her hair and makeup.

" And also, thanks for not being too wicked with the bridesmaid outfits. These are pretty cute, honestly." All three of the girls were in a sapphire toned, one-sleeved, knee length dress with matching heels.

" O-ehm-gee, I love weddings!" Clapped Pepper, she was also pacing and glued to a tablet. Storm had allowed her to plan the wedding.

" Pepper…?"

Tony's voice followed a knock on the door. She slipped out.

" Hey hun. I am so excited."

"Yeah, that's wonderful, but I got a question to ask ya…um." Stark, in a sleek tux walked her out to the garden area with the chairs near the waterfall.

" Look."

" What is it? These are the guests."

" Yeah, I see my teammates and the X-men on both sides…b-but look on that other side, where Thor's family should sit."

" He didn't have any that could be invited. Some kind of warped thing going on with them, I dunno, it's confusing." Pepper said, tapping away on the tablet, He shook his head and got her attention.

" Pepper! Since when did we invite freaking Johnny Depp?! How?" Tony pointed harshly at the set of chairs. Indeed, Johnny Depp was sitting there in a velour coat, he gave them a charming nod.

" A-and Beyonce? And the… Beatles? And seven Elvises…Ozzy Osbourne And…Michael Jackson…wait a minute…" Tony scratched his head at the two rows of celebrities. Indeed, MJ was there in a faux, red military jacket, The Beatles were next to him, Ozzy was in a long black coat and his signature glasses staring around as if lost and seven white rhinestone, V-neck clad Elvises filled the row of seats behind them.

" Tony! Haha, those aren't celebrities, those are just impersonators."

" Wait. You are telling me that you invited impersonators to a private wedding? Is that what you're telling me?"

" Uh. Yeah. Duh. There was empty seats over there. It just didn't look right. The annual International Impersonators Convention happens to be in town this week. These amateurs like making appearances like this for their business, so I called a few up. Don't even fret Tony. I got it all figured out."

She laughed loudly, patted him and walked off. Beyonce, in a big blonde wig and impeccable make up looked behind and waved to Tony who tenatively waved back. That was was when he realized that "she" had an Adam's apple…He turned and stumbled off through the doors and down the lobby, in a daze, almost.

" Hey, when is the bar gonna be open?"

()

()

()

" So…you're Beyonce?" Said Hawkeye, walking up to the sitting celebrity. She stood up in her sparkly, midriff baring bodysuit and was at least a foot taller than him. " Chyess honeey, I am Beeeyoohnsay. Gurls ran da world aha aha…"

The voice was much deeper than it should have been and she sauntered off, laughing, to the snack bar. He looked at to the rest of the "celebs" and turned back around.

" Ooooh-kay then…."

" Psst." Black Widow called him over.

" I think that Johnny Depp guy is a fake.

"You don't say?" Sniped Captain America from his seat behind them.

" Oh quiet, I don't care, I still got a pic with him and I am soo tweeting this."

" You do that." Said Hawk Eye and he went back to his seat.

Wolverine was sitting next to him. The look on his face was one of deep contemplation and subtle annoyance. " When the hell are we getting started?"

" Soon, I guess." Hawk eye raised an eyebrow at Logan who's tone dictated a bad mood.

" Hmph." Who woulda thought, that I would be at another of Ororo's weddings. _This fool better treat her right. I love Jean but…ya know…ya only miss what you got when you loose it…that's the truth._ Thought Logan, with his arms crossed.

" You still care for her?" Dr. X in a silk suit, an adept telepath said quietly, rolling by in his chair.

" Well, you know."

" I sense some turmoil in your mind, Logan."

" Nothing I can't handle."

" If you say so. And who is this?" Xavier pointed to the bored-looking man in the seat next to him, clad in a full, masked red and black bodysuit with the addition of a small black bowtie at the neck.

" Oh him, he's an old friend of mine, Wade, meet Dr. X, Dr. X, meet Wade, a.k.a Deadpool."

" Deadpool…now, I think I've heard of you.." Dr. X shook his hand and laughed gruffly. "Now, I have a picture to take of me with The Beatles, even though I never recalled them having Czechoslovak accents…"

And Xavier rolled away with his cameraphone out and a small smile.

" Sooo when does this thing start?" Asked Wade.

" I don't freaking know."

" Welp, I'm gonna go play pull Uncle Deadpool's finger with those Frisbee kids over there…and maybe with…shit is that Ozzy Osbourne? haha who knows, the night is young. Call me up when they start this damn thing."

" Will do. Oh and please, don't do anything stupid."

" No promises!" Said Deadpool, walking away. Wolverine was stoic, facing forward, a bit out of place in a dress shirt and still looked irritated. There was snoring behind him and he saw Nick Fury nodding off in his chair, and heard him mumble:

" Muthafuckers…all of em..mrrph."

_ What is this a wedding or a Bravo special? Why do I even know what a Bravo Special is?_ Thought Logan, massaging his temples.

Some of the younger X-men were there such as Jubilee, Gaia, Boom and Synch who were playing glowing plasma-Frisbee out on the lawn. Banshee, Emma Frost and her sister had stayed behind at the Cerritos Headquarters to keep an eye on any malicious activity. The rest of the guests strolled around, sat or chatted in the seating area near the waterfall and pond where the ceremony would be held. The Parson was already there at the front, apparently playing Fruit Ninjas on a tablet while he waited.

" Hey Tony!" Pepper chirped, clicking in her blue heels down the lobby. He was at a small bar in the hotel restaurant.

" I thought they weren't serving alcohol until the reception…the ceremony is starting!"

" Well, you'd be surprised what a hundred dollars does, dear. And I'll be out in a sec." " Oh quit it, take this back."

Pepper reached over and gave his glass of Bourbon back to the server.

" I have bad news…weird news and good news…"

" I have bad news…weird news and good news."

" Can I get my drink back first?"

" No."

" Okay, what's the bad news?"

" The pianist died."

" What?" " He dropped dead outside the Hotel. He was like, 98 years old anyways. They already carted him off quietly."

" Ugh, what's the good news?"

" Oh I found someone else to play music for us."

" Who? "

" Aliiisha!" Pepper called out to a woman in a short red dress and high ponytail who had been sitting in the lobby with a few other musicians. She came over and shook Tony's hand, but he was far from exhausted of all this.

" Hello, Im-"

" Okay, okay, I get it, you're from that convention, you're 'supposed' to be Alicia Keys, I hope you sound good, just play for us, kay? We're probably gonna have to pay ya in gold bricks. Have fun."

Tony directed the woman, who had a bit of a confused look on her face, away from the Hotel restaurant and resumed talking with Pepper.

" That was kind of rude." Pepper frowned. " Oh she's just an impersonator. Now, whats the weird news?"

" Okay, weird news, a few uninvited guests have crashed this wedding…the security tried to stop them but they said something about 'Smiting anyone down who attempts to interfere with their presence' Yeah, I know, I think it's Thor's family…"

" Oh no, now THAT'S the bad news…oh no, Pepper dear, stay safe, keep the crowd calm, I got something to do." Tony walked off down the lobby and took out his phone. " Yeah, My suit is in a van on stand-by. We got a situation. Mm hmm. Well, lets just say that Thor's family is here."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Everyone calmed a bit when the ceremony began. A woman was playing a beautiful baby grand piano on in the wedding pavillion and she began to sing, in a wonderfully melodious voice: " If I Ain't Got You"

" hmm..she's good." Whispered Black Widow to Hawkeye in their seats.

" Very good. Sounds like the real thing."

Thor waited in the pavilion in his tailored dark grey suit with a silver tie. His hair was tied back and he was clean shaven. _I am going to marry, Lady Storm…this is a thing, most amazing…most amazing indeed._ He thought, thinking back to the first time he rescued her from Loki' clutches, who had been trying to brainwash her into working for him. Those early times when he only admired her from afar on various missions. The first time they joined and the electricity of their union. Then when she said she was having his child. He looked down and smiled to himself. _I've done well…_ Then he looked around, wondering where the Best Man, Tony Stark was. In the row of bridesmaids, the newly reformed Rogue, Jean Grey and Pepper Pots, the latter gave him a shrug and a concerned look.

Storm appeared down the aisle and caught everyone's attention. The yellow flowers in her pale white hair, the smile, the long cream colored dress flowed off of her deep skin as it would a Goddess. _As a matter of fact_, thought Thor with a glow as he watched her, _it looked very similar to Asgardian Goddess garb_.

She stood across from him and the ceremony proceeded. Ororo took a quick glance at the audience and did a double take at the left row, there which sat the "celebrities"

_Why is there?…Im not even gonna worry about it._ She thought, too wrapped up in what was going on. But she turned again a bit to glance behind her. _Alisha Keys!?_ Thor held her excited hand and got her attention again.

Ororo felt almost lost in a dream cloud as the parson spoke. Thor placed the ring on her finger, which he now also had a matching one with a wider band. She stared at the face of this man that she was marrying. The strong bones and dark blue eyes which now held more emotion and depth then she had previously known.

" Now," Said the Parson

" If anyone has anything to say about this union, please speak now or forever hold your-"

" WAIT!" Bellowed a voice from down the garden lawn where two figures stood in front of four others. Everyone turned around to see what the commotion was about. Ororo gasped and Thor was without words, mouth agape, which quickly turned into anger.

" Father? Loki!" On the opposite end of the Lawn stood Odin and Loki Lauyefson with a small entourage of Asgardians, a in glistening gold and platinum armor. Odin and Loki had their hands up and out from behind them walked Stark in his Iron Man Suit, Arm Canon Primed.

" Make one false move!"

" Stark!" Called Thor, turning around

" Weapon down, I will handle this issue, but thank you for the concern, Tony." It was unnervingly silent for a moment. "Alicia Keys" stopped playing and looked highly confused.

" Is this a part of the show?" She asked but no one answered her.

" Ayeee…" It was the Beyonce impersonator's voice.

" S 'about ta get all weird' n Jerry Spring-ah up in hee-yah"

Deadpool burst out laughing

" Yeah, haha who's gonna do the baby daddy dance?" Everyone turned to Deadpool for a moment and Ororo blushed, beyond furious, hoping the joke was just a Jerry Springer reference and that her own pregnancy was still unknown. I can't believe this, she thought.

" Wade, shut up." Logan said, quietly thrusting a claw metallic through Wade's head, which did absolutely nothing to the forever healing, wise talker.

" Not cool, dude."

" What did I tell you, Wade?" There was thick silence until Odin spoke again.

" Thor, mine son…why did you not inform us of your betrothal?" Boomed the tall man with the grey beard.

" Because, I know far too well the way in which you desire to control whom I marry or what it is that I do. And also because of Loki. You know the reasons for that, Father."

" Yes, indeed, I wish to see the lovely ceremony of my brother and new sister in law as well." Said Loki, his hands up because Stark was still pointing a powerful arm canon at them, but his relaxed smile seemed surprisingly innocent.

" Thor, I cannot truly control your destiny. That is yours and yours only. If it is Loki of whom you worry, behold." Odin held Loki's arm high up, who was rolling his eyes. On each wrist, a thick silver bracelet gleamed in the lights of the torches throughout the night-drenched Hawaiian style garden, with inscriptions written upon them.

" The Seals of Yggdrasil are upon his wrists. He cannot make use of any power with them on and he even consented to their presence." Thor thought for a moment.

" Take a seat mine father, brother, Palace Guards and make no light of this, my cohort or I will smite whoever tries to get in between me and my love eternal.I am emphasizing you, Loki"

" Who?…me? What can I do, eh?" He said taking a seat with Odin and the Asgardians, out of place in their glimmering armor and horned helmets. Their presence disconcerted the audience a little bit. Ororo eyed them suspiciously, extremely unhappy that they crashed her wedding. Her seething silver gaze, however, was directed at Loki who only flashed her a fleeting, unreadable glance. " Parson, proceed."

" Oh..o-oh okay well, um as I was saying…"

He nervously went on with the ceremony. Thor held her hand again and looked at her, trying to console her, which helped a tiny bit. Ororo sighed, and tried to take her mind off the negatives. " By the power vested in me, Las Vegas Weddings inc. and the State of Nevada, you may now kiss the bride.

" Ororo smiled and they both kissed, holding each other as the audience clapped. In the audience Loki gazed at his finger where a small black spider sat and he whispered to it. " See Hella, my love, do you see that Lady? The child that she will bear will prove most useful to us…most useful indeed. Our deal stands."

" Loki, to whom in nine blazes are you mumbling?"

" Mine pet spider, father, I found her."

" Ugh. Son, sometimes I think I should have never unlocked you from the Lower Asgardian Realms. You seem to become more unstable each time."

" Bah! An Asgardian cannot talk to his pet spider?" Odin shook his head and sighed, inwardly disappointed at the direction in which his adopted son was going. Loki frowned and looked forward as Storm and Thor walked away, radiantly arm and arm to prepare for the Reception. We shall see about that little issue of Father's favor, brother. We shall see soon enough.

()

()

()

The reception went along smoother than expected…by a little.

" Teacheth me the ways of this Dougie!"

" Teach me How to Dougie" boomed throughout the reception hall as the crowd laughed at Thor trying to do the Dougie; he was completely off the beat and doing something more akin to a malfunctioning robot.

" Dude, that's not even how you do it, watch." Deadpool joined him, followed by Jubilee and the younger X Men. Ororo just shrugged and joined in, in her wedding outfit. Jean Grey and Pepper came in who dragged an inebriated Tony in to the dancing fray with her. Wolverine crossed his arms.

" I ain't doin' that. Hell no."

A deep voice called out:

" Move ovah! I show you, pinche cavrones how to do this, Bam!"

"Beeyoonsay", the Beyonce impersonator, joined in, a little too enthusiastically and the other mutants watching busted out laughing.

" Might as well." The Alicia Keys impersonator joined and the hall was filled with commotion. Black Widow, took out her phone and filmed everything.

" This is gonna go viral, I know it. I'll call it Mutants Wedding Dance."

" Original." Chimed Captain America, standing behind her. Odin, Loki and the armored Asgardians sat at a few tables looking at the dance with confusion.

" Bah!" Odin chuffed

" What odd traditions these mortals have."

" Does not even surprise me." Loki said, petting the tiny spider on his finger. At the end of the dance, Deadpool could be overheard saying,

"I was told that there would be chimichangas."

"Alicia Keys" went on stage and performed a slower, acoustic accompanied " No One." While the bride and groom danced together.

" You know not how happy I am now." Thor said, smiling at Storm while they danced and continued, " This is beyond amazing…barring the crashers, the impersonators, although I gotta admit that Alisha impersonator is amazing and Beeyonsay is funny."

" Hah, twas interesting, my love…tonight we have a nice suite here." He smiled and she smirked back. "

"We can't mess this place up too bad, sweetie."

" However, we can try, my lady." He winked. Wrapped in his arms she thinking a bit about what the future would hold for her, for him and for the new life growing inside her.

After her set, a DJ took over and the Alicia Keys impersonator came down off the stage to greet Thor, Ororo, Tony and Pepper who were talking at a table with food as the night died down a bit. Deadpool was apparently allowing Jubilee to fasten glowing "Plasma" energy boots onto his feet which he was using to slide around like an ice-skater.

" Look, Im Christy Yamaguchi!"

" Well, I gotta get going, it's been a pretty unique gig. I haven't done private gigs in a while." "Alisha" smiled at them. Thor non nonchalantly handed a bag of gold he had apparently with him under the table as if it were a common trinket.

" Payment for thy service." Tony looked over, a bit flushed and happy. He finally got his drink. " You were a splendid impersonator, you looked and sounded like the real thing, I swear."

"Impersonator?" She said, squinting.

" Well, yeah, you are, right?" Pepper asked.

" No…no no no. I'm the real thing, I am Alisha Keys."

" WHAT?" The whole table resounded the question. Ororo choked a bit on a piece of cake she was scarfing down as her hunger was a bit severe.

" Yeah. Haha, I'm here as a guest celeb judge this weekend for the big contest showdown at the end of the convention. I'll see ya guys." And she walked off with her band and body guards. The whole table was in shock.

" Pepper…that was…she wasn't an impersonator…she-" Tony stuttered confusedly.

" I guess so." Pepper laughed

" That's amazing." Ororo said.

" You legitimately got Alisha Keys to play at my wedding, Pepper, you are awesome."

" Aw, thanks, Ororo." Thor called a toast to everyone, Ororo using sparkling grape juice, and included the Asgardians.

" A toast, my friends…family. To a new beginning. Fate has brought us all here and, may we be ever prepared to face the future with no fear."

" Here, here." Odin chimed in, raising his glass, but Loki remained quiet. " Lady Storm, you have, bestowed upon you, my blessings and my guardianship." He ducked his head and everyone sat down.

The hours became naught but a memory as the night drifted to a close. Ororo and Thor spent the last part of the night wrapped in undulating sheets, in an electric embrace.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The calm, tree-like surroundings of Xavier's Cerritos office was contrasted by an argument rolling on, inside and by the raucous of some of the other X-men running around, responding to a recent distress call. " Professor, I know my limits. I can fight!" Ororo said, disgruntled, pacing around Xavier's Cerritos office.

" Please, Ororo, we just don't want anything to endanger you or your child." Storm stood in in office, garbed in her signature black bodysuit, cape and thigh high boots, with the only difference being round 6 months pregnant belly jutting out a bit in front of her, stretching the fabric to it's limits. Emma Frost walked by the office doorway and did a double take.

" Storm…that is some stretchy fabric." And she walked off.

" Professor…I can do this. My powers are still strong, even stronger, if you ask me."

" Ororo." She glanced behind her and saw Wolverine in his yellow suit.

"Come on. You know it ain't a good idea. This distress call seems kinda rough. The villain claims to be the long lost daughter of Doc. Ock and she's makin' a mess Downtown. Like we really need this kinda thing." He said, rolling his eyes. _He then took a glance at Storm from the side. Still pretty…even all knocked up like that,_ He thought.

Suddenly, Ororo felt something akin to having stuck a finger in a live socket. An icy jolt coursed through her body, beginning weakly and surging stronger. She doubled over and the two looked at her,crackling with electrical charge.

" Hey, you alright?" " I think…ahh!" The laptop on the desk restarted and Logan came to her. Xavier mentally scanned the source from where the charge was coming and found that it was based from within her abdomen. The professor's eyes widened then tried something, placing his hands on his temples. Banshee's loud Irish-accented voice sounded from the main rumpus room of the office where the other mutants were gathering before leaving.

" Oy' Logan Come on, we have to get out there!"

" Gimme a sec!" After a few seconds, the seizing electrical field dissipated, leaving Ororo slightly drained. Xavier let out a small chuckle and shook his head. " Most babies in the womb kick their mothers..congratulations Mrs. Storm, you're baby seems to have just discharged electricity."

()

()

()

" Thor…"

" It will all be well, my love. It seems the moment I attend to business in Asgard, something befalls you."

" Well, the moment I tried to to do my job with the X-men, something crazy happened. We'll see what this is about with the ultrasound."

The two walked around the entrance of hilly Laguna Hills Hospital and entered. This facility had some doctors who specialized in mutant medicines.

" Okay Mrs. Munroe-Odinson, just relax." The nurse, a short, green eyed brunette with many facial piercings activated the computer seemingly with her mind. Ororo sat in the medical chair in a loose gown next to the machine in the darkened screening room. Thor sat in a next to her, holding her hand to comfort her.

" Im just gonna start the machine right here, jelly you up, and Dr. Miyakawa will do the rest. My name is Nurse Jewel, I am a Technopath and Kinesentient, which means I can control technology and sense energy. Me and Doctor Miyakwa are mutants just like you to help you guys out, okay?"

" Alright…" Thor nodded and wrapped his arms around, giving her a light hug.

"I hope this helps us…oh no." Another electrical jolt passed through her and she tried her best to restrain it, holding Thor tight. Thor held her and took the charge into his own body before it could harm her or the machinery.

" Oh wow, that's a new one. That must hurt…oww…" Nurse Jewel held her head.

" Im a bit sensitive to sudden shifts in charge currents, it sounds like screeching to me, Sorry…ow!" She crouched over the computer keyboard with her hands on her head.

" Arrrgh, Dr. Miyakawa!"

"Yes?" An older Japanese man with glasses and shoulder length black hair streaked with grey ran into the room and toggled with the machine. He took out small glasss prism from his coat and hung it in the air with his mind. It began to glow with dancing filaments of electricity in it's heart. He motioned his hands as if guiding the extra electricity in the room into the prism and Ororo felt the cold shock coursing through her veins dying down. He caught the floating prism and placed it back into his pocket.

" Ohh good." Nurse Jewel sighed in relief and began the process of rubbing jelly on her stomach and readying the ultrasound device. " Hello, I am Doctor Jin Miyakawa. I am a primary technopath and secondary object-energy conduit. So Mrs. Munroe-Odinson, you say that your baby is shocking you?" The man had very calm presence about him and his words which, slighty bore a Japanese tinged accent. " Well…yeah that was kinda obvious." She sniped, annoyed and slightly drained. " Both you and your husband have the power of electrical charge, am I correct?" He asked, Thor answered.

" Physician, I can control cold-charge lightning among a few other elements, I am an Asgardian."

" Oh?"

" And I am a human mutant, I am a Meteorapath, or manipulator of wind and weather." Said Ororo.

" Hmm."

The baby showed up on the ultrasound screen and the two cast their attention at the screen. " There is my child…son or daughter" Thor said.

" A girl, by the looks of it." Said the doctor, viewing the high definition feed on the screen. Ororo smiled. Well that answered that question, she thought. And you can tell he's proud.

" An Asgardian princess. My daughter…our daughter"

Said Thor, enchanted by the picture of the baby on screen. The baby moved a bit and then Ororo felt the electricity buzzing again from her stomach area.

" Uh oh…not again. " She said, bracing. The doctor thought for a moment and held his glass prism up, guiding the building electrical field into it which caused it to subside. He viewed the tiny storm going on inside of the little glass pyramid. " What an odd energy. It is electricity, but it is very cold. Mrs. Munroe-Odinson, did you say you channel earth lightning or rather, hot lightning?"

" Yes."

" That is why, then." He nodded. " It is the baby giving off the energy which seems to be this cold type of…I'll call it Asgardian electricity that she seems to have inherited from her father into her human mutant mother, who's personal threshold tolerates Earthly or heat lightning. That is the conclusion I have made. From the tests you took a week go, it seems you are okay, a bit weak, though, get rest, eat properly, and make sure to take your vitamins."

" alright." Ororo said, feeling the nurse rotate the ultrasound device on her slicked stomach.

"Be glad too that you are of a very strong constitution for a human. A normal human under that kind of voltage would have been in a coma. I must say too, that this is a very early mutant power manifestation."

He said, and pressed the little prism into her hand, closing her fingers around it.

" What is this?" Ororo asked,

" An Atlantean energy storage device. When I was younger, me and a team of other mutants took a journey into the waters of the Bermuda Triangle. On the sea bottom there are thousands of these, just strewn about. Some are this size, some are smaller and some are as tall as three stories weigh more than one ton. These glass or crystal pyramids can collect and store much energy. "

" Atlantean? What realm is that?" Thor perked up and asked, curious about this realm he spoke of. The doctor smiled " An ancient one. Atlantis. It no longer exists…in this dimension and what I found is what the the residents hid their realm for a specific reason. I never found out what that reason was. It was my life's work to figure out a way to transmute to Atlantis…perhaps I will find a way, perhaps not."

" Maybe I can assist one day. I have the power to transmute." Thor said

" I may have to take you up on that offer, Mr. Odinson. Well, I got a bit off topic there. Mrs. Munroe-Odinson keep that trinket, just hold it and focus into it whenever she tries to shock you and make sure to call me regularly, alright?"

"Thank you, Dr. Miyakawa." Ororo said, now a bit calmer knowing there was something to stop the electrical seizures. The people in the dark ultrasound room gazed at the screen for a bit. What kind of power is this kid gonna have?

" This is a baby right? And not a Pikachu?…


	9. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Ororo lay on the couch in an oversize black t-shirt and stretchy pink shorts, blowing her nose on a tissue. The flashing light of the TV was the only thing glowing in the night cloaked living room.

"Damn it, Hallmark." She turned it after the movie, "I'll Always Remember You" was over.

" Comedy Central, there, something funny."

She was about eight and a half months along and feeling the strains of pregnancy. The new house felt nice, a normal looking place in Seal Beach, CA which was not too far from Tony Stark's Malibu house and the Cerritos headquarters. It was two stories and had yet to be fully furnished, but it was liveable. They couldn't stay at Stark's place forever. Ugh when is he gonna get here with the food? She thought picking up the tiny glass Atlantean prism that was on the coffee table. Here we go again, really kid? She clutched it tightly and braced as the electric shocks emenating from inside her ebbed stronger. As she focused her energy into the tiny prism, the shocks subsided.

"Huhh." She sighed, laying back into the plush leather couch's pillows.

_I didn't think I'd end up like this around a year ago. Dr. X won't even let me join most missions…though he said he'd let me rejoin assignments after Anja is born._

She thought. _Only one more month, give or take._

Her and Thor now had a seemingly normal life, as Thor was now a type of mutant liaison to the state with Dr. X, Cyclops and her as well. Their house was a normal house, on a normal street in a normal coastal neighborhood of Southern California. A Weather Witch and an Asgardian God however, was quite a bit a ways from normal and some people had an issue with this, barring the new Mutant Rights acts passed by congress from Dr. X's many years of work. Ororo was still Storm of the X-Men on the inside, and yearned for that livid thrill of battle and was more than a little pent up. There was a sound somewhere in the house. Ororo turned the T.V. down and listened. It was the kitchen window to the backyard. She quietly edged to the window and saw two bald men using a crowbar, trying to break in. A normal human would have frighteningly called 911 or maybe reached for a gun, but this situation was quite different. Her heart fluttered and a small, devious smile crossed her lips…

" This is the address, sir?"

" Yes, just turn the crowbar a little bit more." The two bald men, one short and thin and the other with the crowbar, tall and bulky, wore strange looking red velvet robes and were trying to get the window open. They were armed with guns and a crowbar, trying to break in.

" Looking for someone?" There was a tap on the larger one's shoulders.

" Wh-" His voice was muffled by an electrically charged fist to the face. He went sprawling to the ground in the backyard. The smaller one made a lunge for her and Ororo shot him back with a flurry of charged wind.

" There she is, the inhuman trash!" Said the one that flew back, seemingly the ringleader, covering an eye.

" Don't be fooled by her appearance, brothers, for she is a demon!"

" What the hell did you just say? " Ororo glared at the intruders, realizing that they were a part of some strange anti-mutant cult. She clenched her fists and readied her powers.

" We are the Disciples, here to cleanse the mutant hell-scum from the earth with the power of God who gave me this mission. Looks like we have a two-for-one right here, my brothers." Two others appeared from behind a tree and the shed in the backyard with lit torches and what appeared to be hand-made grenades and guns in hand. The big one was on his feet again. Storm's heart raced and she stood her ground. Her eyes turned white and her hair began to lift.

" Wicked scum, Mutated monster! Puppet of the Devil! The power of Christ compels you!" The two in the back lifted two giant electronic crosses.

" Trouble the good people no more! Only God, will judge you now, witch!"

" You came to the wrong house, motherfuckers. Just try me." Storm gritted her teeth and raised up off the ground, she hollered and summoned two 200 mph gales that smacked two of the cultists into each other hard. Shots were fired by the remaining men and Storm ducked, but something else activated inside her… She released a powerful, sphere-like pulse of ice cold electricity that froze the bullets, which fell to the ground useless. She felt her excited body drain from using the alien energy, but it seemed to have helped her. She growled, up in the air, albeit highly pregnant and in a t-shirt and small shorts.

" You are all going to regret this, you cult bastards!" She raised her hands and hollered, a primal howl, and the ground lit aflame with dancing bolts of yellow lightning from the sky above which whipped fiercely with torrential winds. Car alarms went off and the winds howled. People left their houses and stared in shock as a small, concentrated tornado snaked down from the sky, in a backyard not far from their own…

Thor's car screeched to a halt near the curb and the ambulances just as police officers showed up. The darkened suburban street lit up with flashing blue and red lights.

" Mam, do you need medical care, are you alright?"

" Yeah I am. Same can't be said for those insane jackasses laying in the street over there." She pointed. The emergency responder ran over to the four intruders who were all unconscious, burnt and busted up on the pavement. It looked as if a giant had scattered a bunch of, torn mannequins about. They were being attended to by firemen who had them put in the ambulance.

"Ororo…I cannot believe this! Ares't thou well?"

" Yeah, Thor." She looked irritated and wound up, with her hands propping up her lower back to balance her round stomach and a scowl on her face. Regardless, Thor neared and held her close, from the side and patted her.

" I leave for a few minutes and you are in danger!…I should have assisted. You could have hurt yourself why did thou not contact me?" His brow was furrowed with worry and anger.

" It's alright. I had it all covered, kinda. I can take care of myself, Thor." They glared at each other for a moment, a battle of will and worry.

" Thoust could have injured thyself and my child."

" Your child?"

" I mean ours, our child!" She turned away from him and exhaled, crossing her arms.

" I'm not gonna even try to argue with you right now." And walked away. The bruised and bleeding cultists were lifted onto stretchers. Ororo and Thor had to talk the police for a bit as the neighborhood watched from behind shuttered blinds and on their lawns, shocked, as a Channel 7 News van rolled up. Ororo rolled her eyes and realized with irritation she had no shoes on, tiny shorts and her hair was a mess.

" This is Donna Marquez, L.A. News 7 here with two victims of a mutant hate crime-" Ororo grabbed the mic and corrected:

" I am not a mutant victim. I am a fighter, a justice fighter and state liasion, thank you very much."

" As am I." Thor joined in, a bit stunned, like a deer caught in camera lights.

" Well…okay, still this was a hate crime. understandably you are shaken, please tell us what happened…" Ororo wasn't feeling this whole interview thing, clipping out a few more short answers and then going back inside. It was at least three hours until everything was tied up. The one officer left bid them adieu at their door and a safe night. Thor stood there at the doorway of the house in the dark for a moment before holding Ororo tightly, as much as he could with her extended belly.

" My apologies…"

" Don't. It's okay. I can fend for myself. I think Anja may have helped me somehow. I gave off your kind of lightning energy. I'm kinda drained. Did you bring the food?" She sat back on the couch with him, shaken but trying to move onward with the night as it was eleven o clock on a Saturday night.

" It was a difficult task finding a Norweigan 'Shnitzel haus' in this area. The Vietnamese restaraunt was much easier of a task." Thor said tiny bit disgruntled, taking a bit of his food, unable to master chop sticks so he just used the fork.

" Mm"

She enjoyed the meal which she had combined from several cartons from two different restaraunts. Vietnamese rice noodles topped with deep fried Norwegian style liver with mayonnaise sauce.

" I hate liver, actually, but I was so craving this on top of these kind of noodles. Gimme that ketchup, yeah?"

He handed her the ketchup and put an arm around her, sipping a soda, feeling protective and a bit ashamed that he wasn't there to protect her when she needed him._ Why must humans be so petty? Why must they hate others so readily?_ He thought, not trying to fully understand mortals. But he had to understand at least a bit, for the sake of his wife. She was slurping up a bunch of noodles when saw him staring which made her a bit self conscious.

" mmrph…yes?"

" Nothing. You're beautiful, my lady."

" What?" She swallowed and continued: "Im a total mess. I need to go wash off. And on top of all this, I feel like a damned whale." She wiped the side of her face and stared at him. He had an old leather jacket on and had grown fond of the pair of black square glasses Stark gave him. His dark gold, wavy hair was just slightly shorter and his stubble had grown out again. Thor was getting better at this fitting-in-with-the-mortals thing…if only by a little.

" No. No, my love. You are beautiful. Full of life, just as is the Earth."

" Well that's sweet." She felt a bit bad for having been so snappy with him lately. She pushed the food cartons onto the coffee table and leaned her head on his shoulder.

" Sorry I've been so…angry. This pregnancy is killing me."

" What have I done to you, lady Storm? I never wanted for this to cause you pain." He sighed, kissing her on the top of her snowy, wavy haired head.

" I dunno. I don't blame you…fully." She said with a half smile. He clasped her hand with his and he kissed it.

" Carrying a kid that's half Asgardian can really take it's toll. And from how it feels, Anja might take more after you, power-wise"

" Perhaps…" They lay still in the dark on the couch, silent for a bit, Storm laying with her back resting on Thor with his arms wrapped around her, hands resting on her stomach.

" Love you, hun."

" And I love thoust as well…So, what say you of this shower you spoke of? And can an Asgardian father-to-be inquire as to joining thou?" Ororo turned and smiled at the Thunder God who winked back.

" Haha, alright." She said, wriggling a bit and then laying back down. " Um, Help me up though, will you?"


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Finally, the day had come, July 2nd, 7am. As the sun rose, so progressed the momentous occasion, the beautiful entrance of life into the world…

" AAARRGGHHH!"

Ororo could only holler out as the she lay there on the hospital bed at the Laguna Hospital, straining in labor. All Thor could do was watch his disheveled wife in pain. " Okay, she's dilated…" Nurse Jewel said, checking.

There were a few nurses there along with Dr. Miyakawa. Those two who were the only other mutants there, the rest were humans who all seemed nervous.

" Check that heart monitor." He was busy placing small devices on the heart rate monitor and other equipment, tiny glass pyramids that could attach to a port on the computers.

" Mrs. Munroe-Odinson, I would recommend the epidural.."

" I can do this, dammit!" She strained again, feeling the contractions growing stronger.

It felt as if her pelvic bones were being slowly cracked apart.

" Be strong, my love, be strong…" Thor's brow was furrowed and he was worried, holding her hand which she gripped tightly. He stood next to her, dressed a bit oddly in a face-mask and hospital scrubs, and felt as if there was nothing he could do to help her. _Human birth seems a test most difficult. I wish I could assist in some way. My poor, Ororo._

A shock, as cold as a snake of pure ice slithered up her spine and she hollered out again, the hospital's lights flickered on and off. The non-mutant assistant nurses looked on in shock and Nurse Jewel put on her special headphones, due her audio senitivity to fluctuating frequencies. Dr. Miyakawa, placed a hand to his temple and tried to redirect the excess energies into the many small prisms in the room which proved taxing on his abilities.

" Ah…" She cried, the shocks were leaving her exhausted.

" My lady, keep pushing…" Thor whispered. I wonder if the labor of a part-god being is too much for her body. I don't want to loose her. By all gods, I shall not loose her! he thought with many fevered worries flying through his mind.

" Maybe, I'll have that epidural, now." She breathed, now her forehead was drenched in sweat, which Thor wiped.

" Is this how all mutant births go?" Said a nursing assistant with some primal fear written on his face.

" I think I just got shocked." said another, shaking her hand, afraid to touch anything.

" Dr. Miyakawa! The epidural!" Ororo yelled, pushing again.

" With the massive fluctuations in power and with the progression of the birth, the equipment is shorting, Jewel is barely keeping all the machines from restarting. It isn't safe to inject now…but I have an alternative." Dr. Miyakawa took out a sapphire marble from a pocket on his coat and hovered it in the air with his mind.

" Now, Mrs. Munroe-Odinson pay attention to the marble and the sound it is going to make…"

" Doctor," said an assistant,

" That is not a board certified medical technique."

" Who is the Doctor? I am the mutant specialist here." He clipped. The blue marble began to spin in a small circle above Ororo. It went faster and faster until it became an azure blurry disc above her. It emitted a delicate ringing C note, a pure, crystalline hum similar to the sound that comes from the rims of water glasses when played with a fingertip.

" AHH! " She pushed again and strained hard, the contractions and spikes of voltage were intense. Both the nurse and doctor were watching the delivery closely.

" Focus, Mrs. Munroe-Odinson!"

_hummmmmMmmmmmmMmmmm_

"I…ah..Don't see the point in this, but I'll try…"

She took in deep breaths and watched the marble spinning in mid-air, which was difficult when she felt as if she were being reamed apart. She breathed in again and blocked all other noise out besides the pretty ringing. Another breath and all she saw was a shining blue, whirling blur…it took up the whole room, all of reality itself. The ring became the sound of waves crashing on a beach, the voice of the wind…each wave and gust was a different, strong contraction that, nevertheless, she had full control of. _Blue…everything…is blue. Focus…Quit it kid, quit shocking everything_. Her thoughts echoed around in her head and seemed to continue on into forever. Thor and the medical staff watched her eyes emit a faint glow. _Focus…on the blue…just one more._ A hearty, newborn's howl snapped Ororo our of the blue haze and returned her to reality.

Thor Odinson gazed down at the tiny newborn infant, crying and helpless, in his arms with awe. He had just severed the cord that tied her to her mother not too long before the doctors checked and cleaned her up. She didn't seem to be shocking anyone anymore, either.

" Welcome to Midgard, Anja Munroe-Thorsdottir. My love to thee is stronger than the fires of the stars" He said, there was a glowing happiness in his eyes, the feeling was almost inexplicable. I made this….well, more or less, I assisted. " Let me see her.

" Ororo said, she looked very exhausted there, in the hospital bed.

" Of course, my lady." He handed Anja to Ororo and she held her close.

" Would you look at this. Hello, lil Anja, welcome to the world. I love you." She looked the newborn who had stopped crying and was now nursing. She was paler than the rich, deep skin tone of her mother and just a tad darker than the pale-peachy tone of her father. Her fine little hair was so snowy white it almost appeared transparent. She looked like a normal human infant, for being part Asgardian God, that is.

" Congrats, my man." Tony Stark had shown up with Pepper in tow who was doting over Anja while Ororo held her. " Aww oh my godd, she is so cute! She looks like you in the face." Ororo smiled and said, with Thor at her side,

" Well, I hope so." Pepper looked at the little infant and then looked at Tony next to her. She edged over to him and whispered,

" I want one." He looked around a bit nervously and whispered back,

" Not now, dear."

" But really, though."

" I don't wanna discuss this now…um, my lady."

" Aww, that's cute." Pepper hugged him tight and Tony mouthed a "Thank you" to Thor who just chuckled a bit.

Little did they know of the invisible presence in the room. Under a full cloaking spell, Feldnir, Loki's black dragon, peered into the room from the corner of the doorway, still trying to avoid detection from Thor, though no one could see through a full cloak. _Master Loki will be mosst pleassed…_ If only the hospital staff walking by busily, on a usual Monday morning, could have seen it, a ten foot long black dragon right at the side of the wide main hallway. One of the nurses rolled an IV unit by and it bumped over Feldnir's tail.

" What the?…" The nurse was staring directly at him, but he stayed as still as stone. She just shook her head and kept going. The dragon then slipped his way down the hallway by climbing and slithering along the walls like a living shadow and bolted out the door and into the sky over the Laguna Hills.

()

()

()

Loki Lauyefson sat on the obsidian throne of the Lower Realm Palace and perked up as Hella walked by.

" My love? "

" Not now, Loki." She walked past followed by three "Veils" or shadowy spirit-like beings.

The Mischief God slumped back down. Everything here was tinny and reflective with a high obsidian, ceiling. The rectangular throne room was vast, spotless and empty. An open-glass section in the middle of the roof let in a pale white light from outside. Little wisps of green flame hovered about in the air in different locations of the castle.

" Feldnir!" The sound of clucking claws echoed about as his black dragon came running to him from down the long hall. Loki patted him on his smooth, horned head.

" Master. The child has been born. Tis a girl." He said, sitting, big gold eyes staring. Hella's voice could be heard from somewhere:

" Loki, don't let that thing's claws scratch or make a mess on my floor. You don't see me letting Blödr in here."

" Well the reason of that is because Blödr is a weird, 100 foot skeleton-undead dragon, if thou'st even desires to call him a dragon. Feldnir is mine friend. " Loki said scratching behind his ear flap where he liked it.

" It seems the child in question has been born."

" Really, now?" Hella appeared again and snapped, dismissing the her assembly of veils, who all simply vanished. She was the resident Death Goddess of the lower realms of Asgard. Tall and pale, long black hair and nearly white eyes; she wore a long, shredded grey lace dress and corset. She bore a small black mark upon her forehead, A circle in between two inward facing crescents.

" Ah, mine little Loki." She sat in the Mischief God's lap and fiddled with a gold horn on his helmet.

" We will gave to wait a bit before acting on our plan." She said, her face close to his. He wrapped his arms around and pulled her in to kiss her.

" Alright then. Our wait shall be most worthwhile, in the end." He said, he was enchanted by the icy Death Goddess whose deadly cold touch did not affect him. Their deal was simple, for Loki desired a re-do of the past, and Hella, cursed to be barren by Odin, desired a child.

" We shall see." She said, her long legs crossed on his lap, her grey dress spilling onto the floor.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

" Mmm…" Thor's voice groaned.

" Tastes heavenly, very sweet." He was intertwined in bed with Storm in the middle of a rainy night. Her robe was open and he gently nestled in. He hungrily suckled at the nipple of a fruitful dark breast while she lay back on the pillows.

" Enjoying yourself?" Ororo asked.

" Affirmative…mmm." At first, she, had felt kind of weird about letting Thor taste, but finally acquiesced to his requests. " Did you say this was a tradition if some sort?" " Mrrph…yes, m'lady. I shall receive some of thy energy in this exchange." The rain sounded a gentle pitter-patter against the roof outside. _Here I am, nursing a grown Asgardian thunder god, she thought. I think it's just a superstition, but whatever._

" It does feel nice, dear. I was kinda full in that one. Well not anymore." He looked up at her and she looked down at him with a smirk and an eyebrow raised.

"uh..uuh…uwaa-aah…" A little infant's cry was heard from the other room.

" Ah, I'll get her." She tied her robe and walked to the next room which was the baby room. Storm picked up her crying daughter and rocked her a little bit, humming gently. There was a slight crackle and Ororo, knowing what to do, she grabbed the glass prism off the dresser and held it tight.

" ah choo." The toe-headed infant sneezed and dispelled a short burst of electricity.

" There, all better?" The rain-light streamed in from behind the curtains, tinted a faint orange from the street lights. She closed the curtains more and adjusted a little bunny-shaped nightlight by the crib before putting Anja back down in her crib. " Shh shh…"

She crooned a gentle tune that her own mother had once hummed to her. Memories of her parents and life in sun baked Cairo flashed faintly behind her eyes and she closed them, not trying to remember the crash…and the fire… Alone… She remembered being on the streets of that city, going under the protection of a pickpocketer to stay alive.

" Need any help?" Thor yawned, leaning at the doorway. He was in a white undershirt and grey shorts. Ororo snapped out her reminiscent haze at the sound of his voice.

" No. She's good."

" Are you well?" She wiped a tear from her eye and silently nodded, walking to the doorway, but the tall man stayed put.

" My love…" He held her close, wrapping protective arms around her and stroking the soft waves of her hair.

" Thou has't been melancholy as of late."

" Im okay." He knew something was troubling her lately. Ever since Anja was born, Ororo's spirit just seemed somber and drawn, as if a thin, glassy veil was covering her cheer. " I wish I could know what to do to make you well. I know the smile that hides behind those clouds, Lady Storm."

" I'll get over it. I know I will." The two returned to their bedroom to lay back down, Thor holding her tight, as if she were a lofty storm-cloud about to drift away.

" Thor, I'm not sure that you could know what it's like to be human, just human."

" I surely try."

" I know you do. It's just…"

" That I am of royalty? Too high above the humans? Well I harbor a secret of which I wish to tell thee."

" What is it?"

" Asgardians are considered Gods, and with our powers here, we earn that title. But in all actuality we are simply another kind from a far away star."

" You mean to tell me that you're an alien?"

" Humans oft use that word, it does not fit entirely but, in a certain way, yes."

" Well that's great. I have an alien husband and a half alien baby."

" I am still the Thor thou know'st, however."

" You are. It is hard to comprehend, but it explains a lot, actually.

" A small smile appeared on her face and Thor smiled back, glad to see it again. _Look at those alien blue eyes I fell for…well and the rest of him. _

" If it's any consolation, I'm not really your typical Annie Sue human either, love."

" Not typical, but rare, and beautiful, as a shooting star. Ororo, what say you of coming to Asgard? simply living there?"

" We've talked about this."

" You could live in a palace, like a queen, my queen Ororo. With servants and all the finery. Anja would be a true Princess there."

" I know. And I told you that I think that I will end up there. Just give me some more time to do my job here, understand? I know you sacrifice those titles you have in Asgard for…well, this, and I am thankful that you do. Remember that."

" Please consider it, my love."

" I will." And the two drifted off the sleep amongst the gentle sounds of rain.

A while before sunrise that night, the storm grew more powerful. The rain hit the roof with a rattling, angry chorus and thunder resounded. The Anja's room was dark and her parents were fast asleep. Lightning lit a shadowy, quiet figure standing in the room near the crib. Thunder resounded and the horned, caped, figure held up, between a forefinger and thumb, a tiny white hair from Anja's head. A pair of familiar blue eyes gazed down at the infant, stirring a little, with an ambivalent expression. She did not wake. Another vein of lightning lit the room and the horned figure was gone.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

" No."

" But little one, don't you like hammers?"

" Nuh uh." Thor sat on the couch with little four year old Anja on a sunny Saturday morning.

" Anja Munroe-Thorsdottir, by all might, you shall have need to aquire a weapon of some type soon." She put the hammer he gave her down and shook her head.

" Mm. No. Cartoons." She was intently watching the T.V. And the animated show, Action Men, on the screen.

" Doesth thou see that on the television? They are battling a monster. Your father does that and so does your mother. Will a certain Anja as well?"

" Yes."

" Ah, good."

" Now do you like hammers, mighty legendary hammers such as Mjolnir with which to slay your enemies?"

" No." Thor sighed and chuckled a bit at his daughter's little attitude, taking the hammer back.

She was wearing a pink shirt with a cartoon rabbit design and bright blue capris. She loved rabbits, always toting a plush rabbit around or asking for them to get her a real rabbit pet. He was in another ubiquitous plaid shirt that for him, bespoke "regular" earthiness and lived-in blue jeans. He had allowed his beard to grow out a bit. Anja bore a fierce resemblance to her mother. Her skin was more of a paler tan hue, but the resemblance was very much there. She had the biggest light blue eyes, a freckled face and the curliest thundercloud of hair that was slowly turning from a pure white to darker blonde as she got older.

" How does my Princess feel, today?"

" Better. Not hurting."

" That is a relief, I had my worries." He hugged the little girl to him protectively. She wasn't like other mutants, her powers had manifested before birth and actually proved more of a hindrance in this stage of her life. She had, at the moment, manifested the gift of electric manipulation and sometimes she injured herself with her own voltage which would discharge at random times, such as during a sneeze, as she tended to have allergies. It frightened the living hell out of her preschool teacher.

" I'm hungry, daddy."

" What say you to visiting that Bernie's establishment for edibles?"

" Yay, Bernie's!" " After that, We shall go visit Dr. X to inquire of thou'st powers, Mother should meet us there by that time, is that good?"

" Okay." Ororo was out on business with the X-Men in a meeting with the governor. Thor took his car keys but then, stopped and thought twice. I am a Thunder God after all. A handsome one, I might add…

" Anja, would you like to fly today?" He asked.

" Flyy! I wanna fly!" She perked up and smiled. Thor knew that Ororo would probably have not approved due to Anja not being able to fly but Thor knew without a doubt, that could keep her safe. That little girl meant the world to him, all of the worlds.

() () ()

" Highhher!" " No, little one, I will not go higher, this altitude is fine." Thor shouted over the wind. they soared around two hundred feet above warm southern California, holding his daughter tightly with one arm and Mjolnir with the other. There was not a cloud in the endless azure late-May sky, backed with the stately peaks of the San Gabriel mountains to the East.

" One day thou'st shall pay a visit to Asgard. Perhaps thou can become more efficient in thy powers." " Asgard…you mean the city over the rainbow you tell me about?"

" Yes, Anja." He had told her about the realm of Asgard countless times before bed. He had however, only mentioned uncle Loki once and very shortly. Both he and Storm could always agree on this one thing: that they still did not trust Loki.

Anja happily ate her mint chip ice cream with her father after finishing an early lunch on the patio seating of Bernie's restaurant near Xavier's Cerritos office. " Does thou enjoy thy treat?"

" Mm hmm."

" Do not messeth thy clothes, princess, your mother will not be happy about that." He took a napkin and wiped her chin and shirt.

" Daad…" She then accidentally tipped it and the melty ice cream scoop rolled off of it's cone onto the ground.

" My…ice cream." " Oh, blast it. Anja, my apologies…"

" It fell!"

" I'll purchase you another-"

" But I liked that one!" Tears streamed down her little heart-shaped face as she began to cry. Thor looked around and then tried to comfort the child, not really understanding the reason behind the fit.

" I said I shall purchase you another-"

" But I want that one, daddy!" She sniffed and looked down at the splattered ice cream cone and became more focused than a normal young child would be able to muster.

_I want that one. Go back. Go back when I had it…_

She concentrated and Thor just stared at her, wondering what it was she was doing.

_tick tick tiiick tiiiick _

Everything became grey in a split second, like an old movie, everything except for Anja and Thor. The melted ice cream wobbled and regained structure on the ground; it flipped upwards and landed back in her cone, completely unscathed.

" Anja…how did…" Thor couldn't believe what he was seeing. He looked around and everything had gone completely still and monochrome.

_tiiiiiick tliiiiiick tliiiiick…._ The little girl smiled for a moment at her accomplishment and then her expression became strained, as if she had a horrible headache. "My..my head..hurts."

" Anja ja ja ja…" His voice echoed. She dropped the ice cream again and she suddenly slumped over, something crackled and then popped loudly.

" Nooo!" Thor shouted and his heart dropped; he caught her just as reality around them snapped back to normal. The people around them in the cafe seating resumed talking and the waiter resumed walking around. He left the money at the table and quietly, quickly carried the little girl off, bolting into the sky with Mjolnir towards the place he knew he could get help for her, the Laguna Hills Hospital.

() () ()

" You will be okay, Anja." Said Dr. Miyakawa re-assuredly, holding her little hand between two of his. She was in a hospital bed, hooked up to some machinery and an IV. He handed her a big stuffed bunny toy which she lit up and grabbed.

" Look what your mommy brought you, Mr. Bubbles."

" Hee hee." Anja smiled. Storm looked on with concern next to Thor,

" She is in stable condition now." He told the worried pair.

" So, tell me again, what happened. I am not too sure I comprehended all of it while I was treating her."

" Yeah, tell us again." Said Ororo turning to Thor, her look meant business, she seemed angry. Thor rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head.

" I took her to her favorite restaurant, Bernie's and-"

" Did you fly with her, Thor?"

" Yes, dear."

" I told you that I don't know how she would fare flying yet, didn't I? She hasn't shown that kind of ability."

" I knew certain of what I was doing."

" Not really." She gestured at Anja in the hospital bed. " She is not a full Asgardian, she can't take that kind of stress."

" Ares't thou implying that I know not the ways to care for mine own child?"

" Well, just look at her. I leave her alone for just a little bit and look! And she is OUR child, not just yours, did she burst out of your…nevermind."

" Out from my what, say it." Ororo just gave him an " are-you-for-real" glare, holding her forehead and continued to pace around. Dr. Miyakawa looked around, still standing in the room.

" Should I go?"

" No, no, doctor it's fine. It's just when I get a call about my kid in the hospital while I'm out fighting a…well, doing my job, I get really worried."

" Understandable, Mrs. Munroe Odinson. But she is going to be fine, she is a fighter, just like her parents, right, Anja."

" Mm hmm." Anja nodded, hugging her stuffed rabbit.

" May I tell the rest of the story?" Thor sighed,

" Certainly." Said the doctor. " Anja was enjoying a treat I purchased for her and accidentally dropped it. She began to shed tears and then focused intently upon the spoiled item. All of time and reality shifted, the best way that is, that I can explain this occurrence…

" He explained the rest and Ororo's eyes widened.

" She controlled time?"

"Y…yes. Yes she did. Anja, controlled time for a small moment." Thor said, the Doctor scratched his chin in thought.

" She is showcasing a rare mutant ability, if this is the case. Anja might be what is known as a Chronopath."

" Chronopath?" Both Ororo and Thor said.

" Yes. A mutant with the ability to alter time. I am not the most knowledgeable in this particular subject, but my old colleague Dr. Charles Xavier is. I would take her to see him."

" Thank you, Doctor, well see." Ororo sighed as the winds of her mind began to lash again. _How did I, a weather mutant and him, a Thunder Deity…guy… produce a Chronopath?… _


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Dr. X wasn't going to be in town for the days as he was attending to business at his own Charles Xavier Mutant Academy in Boston. By the way he had talked on the phone, he had also seemed a bit baffled by chronopathy.

Ororo lay on the bed with Thor as the sun rose. He kissed her gently and she held him close.  
" That was intense last night, dear."  
" Right you are, my lady."  
He whispered in her ear and nibbled it.  
" I don't think Anja is up yet…"  
Ororo said with a small smile, feeling overall, a bit calmer.  
The two kept the fevered affair quiet as they interwined within each other with slow and passionate movements. Ororo lay back and gazed up at him, moving her hips with the motion of his as he thrusted into her, powerful and lazy, like peaceful waves upon a coastline. Her light hair was wavy and splayed out around her sable body as the hedonistic Thunder God surged his hips into her depths. Their breathing waxed heavily as a little bird's clear voice warbled outside.  
" Argh.."  
" mm.."  
She arched her back, eyes white, as he strained and emptied into her. She was rapt in the lovely vibrations of the shocks he gave off that set off her own pleasure into spiraling heights. Their different elecricities met and mingled.  
" Mine…" Thor brought his lips to hers and kissed Ororo deeply. He slumped and stayed for a moment, eventually rolling over. He held her close and she felt nice in those wide, strong arms. He nuzzled her neck, his dark blonde hair mixed in with her ivory tresses. She binked and realized something.  
" You didn't pull out did you?"  
Ororo said with one eye open, wrapped up in his arms.  
" Well…no."  
" Dear…you know what happens"  
" I do."  
She thought about it for a moment. She wasn't supposed to be fertile right now. W_e all know how that went the other time,_ she thought. But this method actually has worked many other times with him…her mind trailed, _Buuut I guess I wouldn't really mind anoth- what am thinking?_She blushed, feeling Thor's heartbeat as they lay together, the birds singing outside the morning-lit window.

" Mmph, love, would you like to play Action Men vs. Kung Fu Fighters? Stark has hooked me on those electronic games."  
" Sure, hun until she wakes up."

The two showered and dressed and sat on the living room floor, near the T.V. Jabbing controllers and playing the Gamestation 3. The living room was lit with sunlight streaming in from the blinds.  
" I'm sorry if I embarrassed you at the Doctor's office, hun…I was worried about Anja. Then I saw the way you looked. I felt kinda bad." Ororo jabbed the keys as the magic fighter Windy roundhouse kicked the bulky Lt. Bolt on the screen.  
" It is fine. I have nothing to prove to humans, anyhow."  
Thor pressed a combo move that threw Windy back in screen.  
" Well I'm glad we got that cleared up. And oh, dear? I want fried eggs today." She smiled.  
"What?"  
Ororo jabbed and twisted the controller, Windy summoned an intense tornado on-screen and zapped the last if Lt. Bolt's energy. " Haha, he never stood a chance" Windy said on the K.O screen of the game. Ororo won and therefore, he had to make breakfast.  
" Blast it, I was playing gently with you."  
"No, no you weren't."  
Storm laughed as Thor tickled her down.  
" I shall tickle thee into submission, fair maiden!"  
" Ahhahaha-quit!"  
" I was thinking too, that we could, when Anja's better, go off to the mountains to train. I have need to lift some boulders, perhaps."  
Ororo felt his wide bicep.  
" I mean, I don't feel a difference really. I would like to train too, though."  
" I don't need to train….in the art of tickling!"  
" Nooo quit hahaha!"  
" Mommy? Daddy?"  
Anja's voice sounded out at the entrance to the living room, Mr. Bubbles dragging, yawning and rubbing her eyes.  
" Hey you."  
Ororo turned and smiled.  
" Im hungry."  
" You always are, Dad's making breakfast today."

" Oh, look."  
Ororo watched from the table as Thor dropped an egg on the floor next to the stove.  
" I shall get it."  
" No daddy, I will."  
" NO!"  
Ororo and Thor both shouted in unison.  
Cliick cliiiiick cliiiiiick…  
Anja put a hand out and the splattered egg began to move and congeal. The scattered shell reformed around it and the egg flew back into Thor's hand.  
" Anja..ja..ja…stop..p..p..put the..time…back..k.."  
Ororo said, her voice echoing and her movements incredibly slow. Anja shook her head and saw the egg beginging to shrink in his hand.  
" Okay, mommy."  
Ding!  
The time-flow snapped and resumed. Thor looked at the tiny, paper-thin shelled egg in his hand. It was as if it had been prematurely laid, or in the state where it was still forming inside the chicken.  
" That is odd."  
Thor said.  
" Anja, did you keep reversing the time-flow?"  
" Mm hmm. I couldn't stop it, sorry daddy."  
Ororo hugged her daughter, unsure of the power that she might hold. Thor resumed making breakfast.  
How did my kid develop this time-power? I can't really help her with it, and that kills me. Thor might be right…she might need Asgardian training after all.

() () ()

_Ding dong._  
After the three ate breakfast and cleared up, the doorbell rang.  
" I'll get it."  
Ororo went to the door and looked out the peephole. It was a woman in a strange outfit with two small children. Tentatively she cracked the door open, not removing the lock-chain.  
" Yes?"  
" Hello. Are you Mrs. Munroe-Odinson?"  
" Who's asking?"  
" My name is Lady Sif of Asgard."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

" Lady…Sif. Okay. Hold on." Ororo thought for a moment, shutting the door and cast a look at Thor who was now behind her.  
" Ororo, I know her…"  
" I know you do."  
She raised an eyebrow.  
" She was simply my fighting partner."  
" And the one you were supposed to be in an arranged marriage with?"  
" Y-…well, yes, at one time, looong ago, but it never exceeded anything more than a potential engagement. My father arranged that, not I. Trust me, Ororo, thou art my lady, not a soul else."  
Thor said, holding Ororo's shoulders and looking into her eyes.  
" Daddy, is everything okay?" Anja said on the couch, playing the Action Men vs. Kung Fu Fighters game.  
" Yes, little one, everything is fine." He answered.  
Ororo sighed. He seems sincere, she thought. He better be, at least.  
" Alright."  
Thor opened the door and beckoned Sif in, along with two little children at her side. Ororo was able to get a good look at them now. The woman was quite tall and strong looking, a little taller than she was. She had piercing blue-green eyes and thick black hair tied into a rope-like braid down her back. She wore a glimmering metal breastplate over a black corset, a long red skirt and brown boots.  
" You guys can sit down, would like a drink or something?"  
" I am fine."  
" We are good, thank you."  
The two tan-skinned, twin boys sat down next to their mother. They were interesting looking and seemed to have impeccable manners. They wore tiny armor and Capes similar to Thor's. Their dark hair was in a few neatly braided rows.  
" Soo, what brings you here to Earth?..or Midgard as you call it."  
" I am here to tell Thor that his father Odin requests his and your presence in Asgard. He also requested that you bring your daughter."  
" Why, lady Sif?" Thor asked. The guests were on the couch, Anja glanced at them furtively at the edge of the sofa. Thor and Ororo sat on the love seat to the side.  
" Odin knows of Anja and her powers and needs to begin having her trained."  
" What about Loki?" Questioned Ororo. How does he know? She also thought.  
" You would be quite surprised at how he has been acting. This Loki is not the same one I knew. He has been so good and diplomatic that Odin has lifted his banishment to the Low Realms, even though he tends to still spend time there."  
" My brother…is behaving well?" Thor said with a gruff chuckle, not quite believing it.  
" Eh, I don't buy it."  
Ororo had all reason to not believe it.

" Hi."  
" Greetings, Midgardian."  
Anja gave the hazel-eyed twin boys a confused look while the adults talked. She had gotten bored of the video game and put it down.  
" Wanna play?"  
" Well, would you like to see our new partners?" Said one twin.  
"They are outside." Said the other.  
" What are they?"  
" Gryphons." Both said in unison.  
" Whats that?"  
" They look like lions and have eagle wings and heads."  
" Cool!"

" So who are these children, Lady Sif, if thou'st minds not of me asking?" Inquired Thor, pointed to the twins.  
" They are Skadi and Modi"  
She pointed and continued:  
" And they are mine."  
" Your children?"  
Thor looked at the two who seemed interested in talking to Anja. Ororo's interest now too, perked up a bit.  
" Who is their sire?"  
" Ahh…I was afraid I would have to tell this…"  
She inhaled and then began:  
" The night that you were wed to Lady Storm here, I was in the city of Las Vegas as well. I suppose that I wanted to see you, but I decided against it. That night, I spent some time at a small brewery house and met an interesting human man by the name of Eric who happened to be in town for very similar reasons."  
Ororo and Thor listened on intently.  
" He told me that someone he once loved was also marrying someone in the city that night and he too had lost the desire to go see her, but that he wished her well. We talked and well…one thing led to another and many months later I gave birth to these two."  
Ororo was piecing together the story in her mind and felt her heart pounding.  
A man by the name of Eric…in town because someone he once loved…was getting married. No..no, it can't be.  
" Um, Lady Sif?"  
Ororo cleared her throat and asked politely,  
" Sorry to prod, but what was this man's last name?"  
" I remember not…it was Cha…Chaali or something. He claimed to be a fighter and the King of a distant nation."  
" T'challa?"  
" Yes, that is it. Eric T'challa."  
Ororo's eyes widened and Thor looked at her, knowing all well of her and T'challa's past. Ororo just looked away, shaking her head.  
This is not my business…but damn! Those are Eric's kids!  
" Does Eric know about them?"  
" No."  
" He doesn't?"  
" Yes, yes, I know. Midgardian ladies are apt to cling to the sires of their children. Not I, however. It was only a one-night affair. I want Skadi and Modi to be raised in Asgard, as strong warriors under my care."  
" But Eric would probably like to know about his children."  
" Lady Storm, your true name is Ororo Munroe, am I correct?"  
" Yes."  
" Then you are the Weather Goddess he spoke of those years ago. You and him were betrothed once and that is the reasoning behind all of your questions."  
Ororo just sat there for a moment, staring off towards the sunny window, not knowing what to say, really.  
They kind of look like Eric, She thought.  
" Mommy, Daddy?"  
" Yes?" both parents said,  
" Can I play outside with them?"  
" Well…okay, be careful." Ororo said and the three kids ran off to the backyard.  
" You do know that they are technically the Heirs of Wakanda?" Ororo said to Sif.  
" Yes, I do. It is fitting, their father may be Midgardian, but at least he is a king and fighter. My father is a king as well. This is their first trip to Midgard, as I am not overall fond of this realm. If they so desire to see their father in his country when they grow of age, I will not stop them from doing so. This is my desicion."  
" I can see that you are content."  
Thor said  
" I am. They were unexpected, but they have such fiery little spirits. Sometimes they are too much, but I have learned a lot of myself and of others. My little men inspire me, in a way."  
She rested her palms on her lap and had a twinkle in her eyes.  
I knew of a vain and ruthless Sif once, Thor thought, however this woman here is composed and calmer than I have ever known. Thor clasped Ororo's hand in an effort to calm her spirits.

() () ()

" Where are they?"  
Anja asked. The twins whistled and a loud "Kyyyyark" sounded out. Two winged creatures soared down from the sky. About as large as big puppies, two tuft-eared Gryphons touched down in the short grass of the backyard and ran to them sniffing the one they didn't know, Anja.  
" Hahaha, they tickle!"  
" That is enough Fir."  
" Enough, Zal."  
The Gryphons turned and sat down in front of the boys, calmly panting with their dark tongues lopsided.  
" Good."  
" So these are Gryphons." Anja said patting them both on their feathery head.  
" They are hatchlings, still."  
" We hatched them ourselves not long ago."  
Anja picked a stick up and threw it in the air. One Gryphon leapt with a lightning reflex and caught it in a quick beak snap.  
" Good boy." Anja said, the Gryphon made a playful "kyew kyew" noise and motioned the stick in his beak at her. The other wanted a turn as well and budged the other aside. The two green eyed, young Gryphons kept moving forwards with snapping beaks and Anja grew frightened of them.  
" Fir!"  
" Zal!, bad, no!"  
The twins tried to pull the,eager Gryphons back first by their tails and then by their legs, but to no avail.  
" Ahh! Stop!"  
Anja tripped backwards and yelled, emitting a shocking pulse of ice cold energy. The two Gryphons were stunned for a moment and she was able to stand up.  
" Kyaaarrr!"  
They quickly snapped out of it and emiited an eagle cry tinged with a low growl, hunching and following her. They both hissed, edging closer with ruffled feathers.  
" Nooo! Make them stop!"  
Cried the little, curly-headed four year old moving back.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A scream sounded from the backyard.  
"Anja!" Ororo yelled and three ran as fast as they could out the back door. Ororo saw the two snarling gryphons moving towards her daughter in the middle of the back yard and fired up her powers.  
_Tiik tiiiik tiiiiiiik…._  
Everything became black and white and everyone slowed besides Anja, whose heart was still pounding in fear. She screamed and shot her hand out at the beasts, a spiraling wave of energy blasted forwards and the immobilized gryphons began waver as if seen through water and shrink. Anja watched wide eyed as the Gryphons de-matured before her eyes. They shrunk into helpless, curled up little cubs, slowly loosing their feathers and fur, falling asleep as they were encased within a materializing grey shell.

" What..happened…d…d?"  
Her head began to ache fiercely as he time-flow, like a monstrous tidal wave held back, tried to surge forwards. She released the hold on it and everything normalized.  
" Anja!" Storm and Thor ran to her from the house, Storm with her hands crackling and Thor with Mjolnir in his grip. The two stopped short, in shock.

The exhausted girl held two ostrich-sized eggs with that glistened with a metallic grey sheen. Skadi and Modi stood not too far away with absolutely nothing to say, just confusion written on their little faces and a glassy look in their eyes.

() () ()

" My earnest apologies, Thor and Lady Storm." Sif said, again in the living room, her head down. Skadi and Modi were next to her, crying, holding the two big, tin-foil hued eggs that were once their prized pets.  
" I didn't think they would call on them, I told them clearly not to…"  
" Waaahaha!"  
" uhhuh…hic…waah!"  
" Oh you two hush, warriors shed no tears. This serves you two right for letting them near a stranger." She told them, which did nothing to absolve their tears.  
Ororo shook her head, arms crossed and Thor held his forehead and paced.  
" It's alright. I mean, I didn't think she could do that either."  
Ororo said, glancing at Anja at the couch, who had fallen asleep.  
" You have a very powerful daughter there. I have only heard tell of that kind of force. She should train…it would probably take many years, well actually, I am not at all sure if one could ever master time itself. Perhaps an object could help her."  
" Perhaps…" Thor said and continued:  
" I have only ever worked with one, but I know that the Gryphon respects power and preys on fear. Anja at some point became frightened of the gryphons and they simply followed instinct and attacked."  
" Indeed. Well, I must be taking my leave. Again, my apologies for how this unfortunate occurance went." Sif said, offering her hand, a bit flushed.  
" Well, Im sorry too.. "  
Ororo said, shaking the 's hand.  
" No worries, they will just have need to incubate the eggs again for five months or so and they shall hatch anew."  
She gestured at the sniveling twins in little mini-Thor outfits.  
And with a that, Lady Sif and the twins Skadi and Modi left.

" Thor….what did Anja do?"  
" She harnessed time. That is her true power. Her secondary power seems to be electricity."  
He hugged his wife to him close and they both sat vigil near their daughter in her room.  
"I still can't understand how she got this power. My poor, baby…imagine having the ability to move time, chronopathy, how that even works. She drains herself every time."  
" It is taxing, I suppose, to control time."  
Thor stroked his daughters wild whirls of blonde and dark blonde hair while she slept in her bed.  
" Thor. She needs to go to Asgard. She needs to meet her Grandfather and get training from Asgardians who know magic, I guess, because no one here knows about her ability."  
" So thou'st agree, to it?"  
" Yes."  
He kissed Ororo on the head, trying to comfort both his girls. Ororo sighed.  
_Where do we go from here?_

_() () ()  
_

Both their cellphones rang a short while later, it seemed trouble was brewing again. A large herd of Frost Giants had been spotted in the Chino Hills area and were attacking citizens near a mall.  
" These damn, things again."  
Storm said donning her bodysuit next to Thor.  
" I'll Call Pepper, she'll babysit. Anja should sleep the rest of the night."  
" Does she not have a child now too, my love?"  
" Yeah, but she loves babies and I really appreciate having a friend like her at times like this. This city needs us."

A swift movement whirred past.  
Pepper was in the living room of Thor and Ororo's house, watching T.V. rocking her own flame-haired 2 month old in arm, Tony jr. It was evening and she had ready checked on Anja who was sleeping like a stone.  
I don't mind babysitting for them..but I wonder what was so important. That poor kid, she thought.

The silent, horned figure stood in Anja's room again. It sprinkled a blue colored, sparkling dust over the sleeping child and picked her up with cold arms. She did not wake. In the other hand was a tiny, jointed metal human figure covered in esoteric Asgardian inscriptions. The doll was placed onto the bed, near the stuffed rabbit. Another puff of sparkling dust, this time red in color, fell over the tiny doll.  
With a silent whirl and the girl in tow, the gold-horned figure was gone.

" Anja?"  
Later that night, with Thor and Ororo still out, Pepper checked on the child. She saw the little, curly-blonde girl fast asleep in the bed.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

" Oh, hello Mrs. Valdez. What's up?"  
It was 10 am and Ororo answered her phone, at Xavier's Cerritos office, which was choatic today, while many X-Men, both young and old, walked around, busy.  
" What?! What is she doing? Oh my god…I'll be there." She gasped and tapped her phone off.  
" What's wrong, Ororo?"  
Cyclops asked in the darkened room, near the holographic drawing board near a round table. He and many of the Senior X-Men were there today setting up field drills for the newer, younger team members. They were all going to leave for the wide Test Range in Apple Valley in an hour.  
" Nothing, I gotta go. It's my daughter. Thor is preparing for us to arrive in Asgard…this was supposed to be Anja's last day in class."  
" Well that's a shame, these young guys could have used your guidance."  
" Hey! This is an emergency. I need to go." Ororo retorted.  
" Not cool, Scotty. Ya don't gotta be such a douchebag. The lady has got a crisis."  
chipped Logan.  
" I gotta admit, I agree with that." Emma Frost said, filing her nails. Suddenly, Pixie, giggling, ran up behind her and handed Emma a folded note. She ran off with Colossus running after her, yelling. She looked at the note which said: "Piotr thinks ur hot." Emma rolled her eyes and continued filing.

" Improp-ah behavi-ah aside, these young'uns need help, yeah, but Misses Storm hee-ya got a issue. Let her leave'n do her business, Scott."  
Gambit said, not looking up from his game of flaming Go Fish with a bored-looking Rogue at the table. Scott looked around, it seemed he was outnumbered here.  
" Scott, be a responsible team leader here." Xavier said, wheeling by, holding his head, which was hurting from all the arguements.  
" Alright! Alright! I never meant it like that, go on." Cyclops chuffed and walked off, unaware that someone had pinned a note that said  
"Swagmonsta" on his back.

Ororo ran down the hall, past some other teammates towards the office exit doors.  
" Need any help?" A voice called out, someone she had brushed past. She turned and saw Angel there.  
" Warren? Uh..actually, yeah. I don't have Thor here and help." Said Storm, holding the glass exit door open by the stairs. They were about to walk out when another voice stopped them.  
" And where the bloody hell are you going, Warren?"  
Psylocke stood down the hall, a little ways from them, glowering with a piercing violet gaze.  
" Lisa, I'm going to help her, she has a family crisis and no one around to help."  
" Well, you're acting quite the nice fellow."  
" Come on, damn it!"  
He said, throwing his arms up. Storm turned then and just kept walking out to the parking lot, I don't have any time for their lovers spats, she thought with a silently panicking mind.  
Psylocke didn't get any suspicious gist from analyzing the energies of Angel's mind.  
" Fine, go ahead."  
" God. I'm not two years old, Elisabeth. Seriously."  
Angel, annoyed, turned around seeing Storm rise into the air above the street nearby. With a running start and a powerful flush of his wings he sprang up, following close behind.

" Hello. Hello. Why? Hello. Hello. Hello. Hee Hee. Hee Hee…"  
The entire class stood at the doorway behind a frightened, somewhat heavyset teacher, Mrs. Valdez, trying to get a look.  
" Get back ihos y ihas…stay back."  
She looked on in fear at the Willow-Beach Elementary Kindergarten classroom, holding a rosary with a cross, tightly in one hand. The room was empty except for one seat at a table towards the back. Anja sat there, appearing be in a seizure of sorts. Her head was moving back and forth and she was repeating the same few phrases and giggling in a very unnerving, almost robotic manner.  
" Hee hee, hee hee.. Hi. Hello. Why? Hello."

() ()

A freckled face from under a black hood peered in through the classroom window and then quickly hid away from sight…

() ()

Storm and Angel touched down on the school lawn and entered the building quickly, getting a barrage of stares as they were in their X-Men uniforms and also due to Angel's impressive wings.  
" Hey look, I know them." Said one girl near a glaring teacher.  
" I have your action figure."  
Said a boy in the hall, holding a Storm figurine up. She gave him a quick nod as they walked through the school's hall.

" Whats wrong Mrs. Valdez?"  
" Take a look for yourself!"  
The flustered teacher shouted.  
" First she sneezes and, a-and shocks me, then s-she does this, aye dios mio, Santa Maria ayudamos, que barbaro! she is possesed?"

Storm dismissed the teacher and ran to her child with Angel following behind. The teacher motioned a hail Mary at him as he passed, bowing her head in respect.  
" Angél de dio."  
Angel was familiar with some of the almost fanatical religious following he had, both for and against him. It was rather easy to tell what side this teacher was on.

" Anja…what's wrong?"  
" Hi. Hello. Hee Hee.."  
Storm hugged her oblivious daughter tightly, and was shocked at how cold she felt.  
As a matter of fact, she has been acting kind of distant this past week, Ororo thought.  
" Ororo…"  
Said Angel,  
" Back away from her."  
" No, I can't." She held her tighter.  
" That isn't Anja."  
" How do you know, Warren? You have never met her."  
" I know when a soul occupies a body, I can sense it…that thing has no soul." Angel had a spooked look upon on his face.  
" How dare you say that!" Ororo snapped, holding her closer.  
" My baby…"  
" Skasdavir ik vænnir dar blödr! Hee hee.."  
A hissing voice snapped from the girl. Ororo slowly backed off and glared at her.  
" Hssss."  
Anja's eyes were shiny and black, her skin had a golden, metallic sheen and her joints bore seams, as if connected by bolts.  
" What the fu-"  
Ororo censored herself due to the children staring at the class doorway. The teacher had her eyes closed, counting her rosary beads and chanting a spanish prayer.  
" Anja, snap out of it." She held the girl's shoulders and tried to snap her out of whatever was seizing her.  
" Hissss!"  
She stared at her with black eyes and no expression.  
That horrible hissing voice is not Anja, she thought, her thoughts getting desperate. Anja's skin suddenly showed writing all over now, ancient scripts covered her face and arms.  
What the hell is wrong with my daughter?…She thought, recoiling.  
" That is some kind of husk. It's not your daughter Ororo."  
Angel said. He touched the girl on the forehead, with a faintly glowing hand. The girl hissed louder and then a CLAK Clak Phhhheeer! Something akin to a party whistle sounded and cloud of black and white confetti burst out. "Anja" slumped over and fell to the floor in the form of a small golden, inscription covered doll.  
" Anja…" Ororo said picking the doll up, tears filling her grey-blue eyes, her breathing shallow.  
If this was a…doll, then where is Anja?! She thought, looking around.  
" Praise Dio and Praise his Angél, the demon is gone!" The short, portly teacher ran in to the room and collapsed at Angel's feet. He rubbed his neck and blushed a bit.  
" It wasn't really anything. I purify my tap water like that all the time. Saves a bundle on that bottled crap."  
He tried to move but the awestruck teacher was laying over his feet.  
" I'm sorry Ororo, I just want you to know that, whatever that was, was not your daughter and-…Ororo?"  
Angel looked around but she was gone.

Storm, teary eyed, clutching the tiny doll, ran through the school and out the exit, onto the grassy front lawn. The late-day sky was overcast and windy; she was about to throw herself into it.  
" Hey, wait!"  
Angel came out after her. He tapped her on the shoulder but she was now paying attention to something near a tree next to the parking lot and soccer field fence. A hooded figure in a long cloak made of black feathers stood by the weeping willow. It held, to the side, a shimmering scythe that stood taller than the menacing figure itself.  
What…is that? Storm thought.  
" Looks like the Grim Reaper."  
Said Angel.  
The figure beckoned for them to come closer but Storm was reluctant.  
" Who are you?" She called out.  
" Someone you love."  
The female voice that emenated was barely audible at that distance.  
" I don't know about this. Grim Reaper appears, you don't just go walking up to it." Said Angel. It was silent for a moment. Then her little voice rang out again.  
" I can tell you where is Anja is."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The two X-Men, Storm and Angel approached the hooded female by the tree tentatively. The air felt considerably cooler near her, as if she emenated frost.  
" I know where Anja is."  
" But…who are you?"  
" Fair warning, do not touch me or your life will drain."  
The figure flipped her heavy hood back and shook her hair out. Ororo looked on in disbelief.  
This woman had a very similar face to Ororo's, only with paler tan skin, freckles and sky blue eyes that seemed to carry within them, a leaden yet jaded emotion. She bore a black mark, a circle between two crescents upon her forehead and two blue stripes on her jaw.  
" A-…Anja?" Ororo said, her mouth agape.  
" Yes…or at least I once was."  
" What do you mean?"  
Ororo said, looking at  
this figure, an older Anja, standing right in front of her.  
Angel held his head. Something about this girl unnerved him. Suddenly, behind closed eyes, he saw fire, inferno…chaos and melee.  
" Um, Ororo, I have to go."  
He said, shaking his head.  
" You should, I will only bring out the Apocalypse inside you, the destruction. Go."  
Anja said, with that Angel nodded and said, a bit disconcerted,  
" Well…Good luck, you two, I hope you find what you are looking for." And left, springing into the sky above the field.

" I don't understand, Anja. How are you here, older, standing in front of me?"  
" It is a long story, I need to see Dad as well."  
" He is in Asgard."  
" Call him to come back, get him to go the Seal Beach house. I'll explain there."  
" You mean our house?"  
"…Yes."

Anja covered herself in the cloak of black feathers, transforming into a small, black raven. Storm looked the bird on the ground oddly, not too sure of what was going on. It was a lot of information to process.  
I just can't believe this. What is going on? She thought.  
" Caw." said the Raven, ruffling it's wings.  
Storm, nodded and took to the air as the raven followed behind.

" Thor, you really need to come back, now. Please, asap. "  
Storm said, speaking into her phone as she flew over the suburbs and streets towards the house.  
She touched down in the front yard and the raven, flapping it's wings to slow it's landing, transformed back into Anja in a flurry of dark feathers.  
Then, suddenly, a shimmering vortex opened up over the front yard of their house and in a blazing, multi-colored aura, Thor fell crashing back to Earth with Mjolnir, in his armor and cape. He left a cavernous dent in the ground where he landed.  
" My lady, what is wrong?"  
He got up, dusting himself off as if it were just a simple fall, and saw Ororo, with an unreadable expression, staring at the curly-blonde girl in the black feathered cloak.  
" Who is this?"  
" Anja." She said.  
" B-but…how?" Thor stuttered a bit, not quite understanding.  
Anja walked towards the front door with her impressive, jewel decorated scythe in tow.  
" I'll explain in here."

Anja sat on the loveseat while her parents looked on from the couch. It was a strange sight, a rather cozy living room with a figure, akin to a Grim Reaper just sitting there.  
" I am no longer the Anja Munroe-Thorsdottir you knew. I am eighteen years old. I am Ragnarok, the Thirteenth Death Goddess."  
Thor's eyes widened.  
" This cannot be!"  
" It is. A long time ago I was stolen by Loki who was enamored by the Twelfth Death Goddess, Hella. He wanted to re-live his younger years to gain Odin's favor and she wanted nothing more than a child. Odin had cursed her to never bear a child for a good reason. To avoid what I became."  
" Loki."  
Thor growled, his anger growing intense.  
" He has done to me, the very last thing he will ever do! I will rip his heart from his chest."  
" So, that doll…" Trailed Ororo  
" Yes, that was a magic Changeling doll, formed by imbuing a hair from someone into a little metal figurine and blessing it with dark magic. It then becomes a Doppelganger or copy of the person. The doll was a bit, flawed however."  
" Blast it all! He always made those to play tricks on me as a child."  
" But Anja, how did you become a death goddess? How did you get here?" Ororo asked.  
" It was a simple process. I was stolen to the Lower Realms as a child. Hella performed the ceremony once performed by her own mother to her, on me. I was marked here."  
She pointed to the black circle mark between two crescents on her forehead. And continued:  
" The ceremony, unbeknownst to her, took her life. She dropped and crumbled to gravel right after drawing this mark. And suddenly, her weapon, the Reaper Scythe flew into my own hand and became my weapon.  
"You and many others rescued me afterwards, and took me home and for a while things were well…I came home and felt how much you two loved me. I got the pet rabbit that I always wanted." She said, a hint of happiness appearing on her face, but soon leaving.  
" I took the tiny white baby rabbit, which I named Bubbles to bed with me one night and when I awoke, it had died…Bubbles had aged and died while I slept because my touch had killed him. I had manifested the touch of the Death Goddess.  
The Veils appeared the next morning and told you two that I needed to report to the lower realms or the apocalypse would soon begin on earth due to my presence…You cried, Mom, and Dad was helpless. As a five year old girl, I was taken…made the Queen of a kingdom of the undead and the shadows."  
" Anja…I'm so sorry…I don't know what to do." Ororo said, holding her face, still not quite processing everything.  
" It is not your fault, mom. But you did end up leaving dad, taking baby Calder with you back to your homeland. You couldn't take the pain of loosing me."  
" Baby Calder?"  
" My little brother. You are just pregnant right now with him."  
Ororo took in a deep breath and held her face, crying.  
This is too much…this is too much…another one? She thought, feeling her stomach.  
Thor held her close.  
" Odin was put under a Sleeping Curse by Loki and dad, you returned to Asgard, bitter, ruling that place with an iron fist. Looking at the gates to the Lower Realm, longingly, knowing I was down there…alone and there was nothing you could do."  
" My Princess, Anja. I would never in an eon desire such a fate. Why?…"  
Thor said, his eyes watery. She saw her two parents holding each other, as if through a cold, windy storm, something she had not seen in a very long time.  
" I will kill Loki for this!"  
He roared, straightening himself and clenching a fist.  
" You don't have to."  
Anja snapped her fingers and a Veil appeared in the middle of their living room, a wispy, disembodied spirit of a person, and this time it was the despondent, horned-helmet spirit of Thor's brother, Loki…..


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

" Greetings…mine brother."  
" You bastard!"  
Thor sprang up and lunged at Loki, who recoiled and braced for the hit, but went right through the watery veil.  
" That isn't going to work." He said. Loki looked as if he had aged and been through years of torment and dismay. He was grey and wavering around the edges, melting away into the air. Chains were wrapped around his wrists, chains that also dissipated into the air.  
" Thou..art deceased, Loki?"  
He asked.  
" Yes, I am dead. And I should have seen it coming."  
The Veil's voice echoed.  
" What was the way of thou'st death?"  
Thor asked, through his teeth.  
" Ah, I fell for the web of the Twelth Death Goddess, you see, me, a trickster, tricked! She was a spider, after all. Yes, I kidnapped Anja because I loved Hella, I obeyed her like a dog, taking mine own brother's child and casting a Sleeping Curse on our father. I wanted a second chance to make things right many years ago…I would have never created such genocide…such death in my life time. Odin would have surely favored me."  
" That is the subject which is all thou'st EVER seems to care about! Odin never showed anyone more favor, he was disappointing with you, but never anything more."  
" Thou shalt never understand. Nor would I ever expect thy to. One could say I have paid for what I did."  
Loki said gazing upon him, weighted with a heavy sadness, moving his arms and jingling the chains attached. It was then that it hit Thor, like a ton of bricks that his brother was not alive. It hit him that Loki, his arch-rival and also his brother, was dead.  
I know not of how to accept this information…he thought with a fevered mind.  
" Anja," Asked Thor,  
" How did mine brother pass away?"  
" Well, a while after Loki brought me to Hella and right before the ceremony, she didn't need him anymore, nor did she feel like fufilling her promise, and killed him. Hella is a spider, through and through. She killed her mate as he gave her progeny and her time was through. She would have this scenario in any way she could, it was a drive, a raging instinct that has driven every Death Goddess that ever lived in the Lower Realm of Asgard. When the twelfth Queen died, so was born the Thirteenth, the Last , The One Fated To End The World…Ragnarok. Now I cannot touch anything in Midgard without seeing it die. I can't even stay here for too long without fear of activating a premature apocalypse. See, look…"  
She took a rose from a vase on the coffee table and observed , clenching it in her hand, with a distant expression. They saw the rose loose it's color, they saw it wither and crumble to fine dust before their very eyes.  
" My power to manipulate time was warped in that ceremony."  
" How are you standing in front of us?" Ororo's voice cracked.  
" I had to force my will, the last bit of human will I had to come here to this time zone. If I wait any longer, I will become Ragnarok and have no free will other than to destroy. That is my fate. To end the worlds and bring out the Apocalypse in all those who harbor it. That is why that man, Angel could not be around me. He has an Apocalypse within him and I bring it out."  
Anja, the Death Goddess reached into a small gold bag she had brought with her and took a small yellow apple out, biting into the crunchy, white flesh.

" Mrrmph, good. These keep me in this form, by the way, so I don't go all Ragnarok on you guys. They are from a holy grove near Yygdrasil. I got dead Uncle Loki here to open up the Lower Realm gates for me, as Odin had put a seal on them before he fell into the Sleeping Curse. I acquired these Apples of Purity from the nearby grove and thought my plan over. Being alone all those years, I figured out the secret of traveling through time. I used my powers, now free of the restrictive Seals put on me, rightfully so, to travel back in time with dead Uncle Loki here, to now, September the 18th."  
Ororo shook her head, gazing at her daughter and then at sad spirit of Loki standing hear the T.V. She was still little Anja to her, her face, barring the marks and the aura of cold, her face still looked like Anja's little doll face.  
"The what is there to do here? I will do anything to help you…and wait, did you say September 18th?"  
" Yes."  
" Today is the 21st."  
" What?"  
" Why that date?"  
" I wanted to come back to the 18th spefically to have enough time to gather your forces and raid the Lower Realm Palace, to rescue me and Loki because he is still alive right now and I have not been marked…That is why I am here Mom and Dad. To change what happens, to make things right. But tonight is the night! I was off by a few days." She said, pacing, staring out at the dying, cloud veiled sun through the window.  
" Tonight, on the apex of the Blood Moon, Hella will permanently mark me as the Death Goddess and will kill Loki!"

" Assemble forth your teams because you are going to need all the help you can get." Said cloaked Anja, eating an apple, standing with her scythe in the darkened front yard in front of Storm and Thor. Phones were pulled out and calls, promptly made.  
" Tony Stark, I need to ask of you and the available Team, a dire favor tonight…"  
" Logan, call any of the others that can, there is an emergency and I am gonna need your help, Yeah, yeah, I have never been more serious…"

() () ()

It wasn't very long before they were met there by any available members of their respective teams, the X-Men and the Avengers.  
" Hey, Ororo what's up?"  
Logan said, getting out of one of the many cars that were pulling up to the street and parking on the empty lot next to the house.  
" Who's the Grim Reaper over there?" Captain America said, pointing to Anja who stood there amongst the chaos with a feathery hood covering her face.  
" It's a long story, I am gonna try to summarize it, everyone, come on, gather around."  
Storm said, standing tall next to Anja in her black bodysuit and cape. She proceeded to tell the story to everyone there, eliciting reactions of shock, confusion and finally a small degree of understanding.  
" This is…highly confusing, I'll admit." Tony said, holding his armored helmet.  
" She is a Death Goddess?"  
" So…she is a Grim Reaper."  
" Storm, isn't your daughter supposed to be five years old?"  
" I am a time-traveler, primarily, even before I became the Death Goddess. How many times did I say that." Anja answered through the gush of questions.  
" Oh, like Dr. Who."  
" Not exactly, we have to hurry."  
" How are we ALL going to get to Asgard, much less this Lower Realm Place?"  
" What should we be prepared to handle when we get there?"  
" And why does Anja, Death Goddess of Asgard sound like a Folk Metal song?"  
Everyone turned and saw a heavily armed Deadpool standing behind everyone.  
" What?"  
Anja, Thor and Ororo explained the situation further and Anja alone explained the plan of action, of getting into the Low Realm Palace and the probable factions that would await them there.  
" So, are we all clear on this?"  
" Uh."  
" I guess…"  
" Alright."  
" Finally, A quick roll call, so we know who's here. Name yourselves one at a time" Storm said.  
" Iron Man, the one and only."  
" Captain America, far less conceited than Iron Man."  
" Black Widow, knows that the teams better to work together and not fight."  
" Hawkeye, I got nothin'.."  
" Hulk, as you all call me, even though Im not angry right now."  
" Wolverine, the leader of the X-Men."  
" Cyclops, the actual leader of the X-Men."  
" Emma Frost, Could care less about these two's lovers quarrels."  
" Jean Grey, hopes Emma is joking."  
" Gambit, at ya service."  
" Spiderman, I really don't know what I'm doing here."  
" Rogue, right here darlin'."  
" Aaaand I'm Deadpool! the most awesome guy here. All of you plebs can go on home now."  
There was an all-together, resounding:  
" SHUT UP WADE."

" Okay, we're all here, Anja, dear… your move…" Storm said and everyone turned to the Death Goddess at he center of the circle.

" I shall transmute us to the Lower Realms. Dad, I am going to need you to lend me your power as well."  
" Surely, daughter."  
Anja hit the bottom staff of the Reaper Scythe on the ground, once, twice, then three times. Both her and Thor held their weapons up and the ground below the group began to glow. Anja brought the Scythe above her head and brought it down into the earth, which caved in a bright light. The group hollered as they fell downwards into a whirling vortex of multicolored light.  
The rainbow bridge of Asgard appeared and whirred past, as did the impressive, golden towers of the Palace of Asgard and the surrounding city, lit in the night. Forested foothills and great, snow-capped mountains where dragons flew, swept under their feet. A tree, as tall as a five story building dwarfed all others in the range, the mighty tree of Yygdrasil.  
" Okay, this is it."  
The terrain under them changed into a rocky, desolate crag near a wrought iron gate that led to nowhere…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

There was a flash of fiery light and the group went falling onto the hillside.  
" Ow…yo Grim, learn to land a bit smoother, eh?" Deadpool said, holding his head and cracking his neck.  
The befuddled group dusted off and stood in front of the massive iron gate.  
" Oh no…we can't go through this." Black Widow said, looking down off the precipice behind the gate.  
" You can go through it, because I am here."  
Anja said and then shouted an echoing:  
" Open!"

The thin iron gate creaked as it unlocked and opened.  
" Reaper girl…uh Anja, that's still a straight drop down." Wolverine said  
" It only looks that way, come on." Anja stepped through.  
Storm and Thor went on through after, unafraid, only the concrete thoughts of rescuing their daughter upon their minds. The rest of the group saw them dissapear as they walked through the gates into nothing.  
" Well I'll be…" Rogue went through next followed by Gambit, Captain America then the rest.  
" Woah.."  
The landscape had changed from a fruitless, stony crag to a strange white forest lit in bright moonlight.  
" This is the Kingdom of The Death Goddess, or the Low Realms." Anja said, looking around.  
" Stay close."  
The group followed a path down the woods, which Storm noticed, were not even made of real wood. Each tree seemed to be made of striated white marble, and the leaves, faintly stained glass. They hid when they came across the front of the Low Realm Palace, an obsidian, geometric monolith of needle sharp towers.  
Anja motioned for Thor and Storm to come near her. To them she said:  
" Mom, dad…I have to tell you something. If I fall into Ragnarok form, while in there…you must destroy me."  
" Anja…" Storm said, looking at her daughter.  
" You cannot mean…" Thor said, looking shocked.  
" If Ragnarok takes me over…which you will clearly know when that happens, both Asgard and Midgard will begin to fall. I will not have control over my faculties. You two MUST destroy me if that happens, or the worlds will end, am I understood?" Her tone showed a heavy steel that surprised Ororo and Thor.  
" If you insist daughter, I am well aware of what Raganrok is." Thor said, looking down as they walked. Ororo wanted to hold Anja, but knew that she could not touch her, for she was deadly in this form.  
_I don't know if I could..but I'll have to…_She thought, her eyes beginning to sting.  
In front of the Palace there were countless skeletal guards, patrolling the grounds.  
" We are going to need to know what's going on inside first, I was in the main Throne room when the ceremony happened. I need someone to sneak in."  
" Sneaking in, my specialty." Spiderman said.  
" I am pretty good myself."  
Deadpool said after.  
" Oh God no, don't let him-"  
" He can go, we need all the help we can get."  
Spiderman and Deadpool left for the high side walls of the Palace.  
" I'm glad we have each other, Spidey."  
" Personal space, Wade, personal space."

() () ()

" Tonight, we shall initiate another unto our ranks. Tonight, I create a successor and her name…Is Anja, of Hella the Twelfth Death Goddess of the Lower Realms, the Orb-Weaver."

Anja sat in a stone chair at the center of the massive, obsidian throne room, bathed in a bright beam of white moon light from a glass pane on the roof. Her eyes flickered listlessly as if she carried no will or whim of her own. She was an eerily beautiful island in the darkness of the chamber. She wore a black lace dress, similar in design to something of Hella's. For this occasion however, Hella's form looked quite different. Her torso and body were that of a woman, and her lower body was the ghastly, armored, multi-legged body of a spider. She brandished her jeweled weapon, the Reaper Scythe proudly.  
Loki watched on from the side. The shadow forms of the Veils had all formed a circle around them and were slowly moving, rhythmically chanting something echo-ey and esoteric.  
" Dear, is this transformation going to effect her ability to help me? Remember, our deal."  
" Not at all, darling…it will change nary a thing." She said, enigmatically.  
" Tis only minutes till the showing of the blood moon."  
A Veil servant parted from the circle brought to her a decorated bowl of pitch black ink which she swirled with a fingertip, now a long, needle-like claw.  
From her lips came a strange song, a song that undulated into plaintive minor chords as the veils around them chanted and danced.  
" Now, to offer a sacrifice…blood for blood. This time, legendary blood."  
She smiled, her voice seemed lower, her pupils gone. Suddenly, the veils collapsed around Loki, holding him down as a single, shadowy unit.  
" Hella! What is the meaning of this!" The man in the horned helmet struggled against the undulating claws of his ghastly captors, but to no avail.  
" Am I not thy favorite?…" His expressive, emerald eyes seemed to loose their hope each passing second.  
" You are, darling, you are. But I require a blood sacrifice for little Anja's transformation. Better the blood of a God than a mortal, no? This is a task I was born to complete and a task I WILL complete. The next Death Goddess must be initiated. Mine apologies, mine little Loki…"  
" Feldnir!" He cried  
She strode up to him with her Scythe, the tips of her four spider-legs clicking softly against the floor. She cupped his face gingerly, with a sharp toothed smile. Loki was astonished and angry, more so that he was at her mercy here, that he had let himself become so deluded by her.  
From the endless darkness of the Throne room crept forth a horrible creature, a massive dragon made of nothing but skeleton…an unnatural green werelight flickering in it's eyes. Blödr opened it's bare, toothy jaws and dropped a dark bundle onto the floor. Feldnir, as tiny as a yard lizard comparison, lay bound in silver cords on the floor, unmoving.  
" NO! What have you done to him, Spider Witch? You tricked me!"  
" Ah, Irony isn't it? For I have tricked the God of worries, darling this shall be ever so quick."  
She brought the pale, icy tip of the Reaper Scythe to his neck as the Veils yanked his gold horns back. With that, Loki, the Mischief God of Asgard, watched wide eyed as his very life glinted before his eyes…


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"ENOUGH!"  
Hella turned around in the direction of the Throne room entrance, dimly lit with floating green lights. There stood Anja and at that moment, a time paradox.  
" Who are you?" The Spider Witch snarled.  
" Anja, the Thirteenth Death Goddess of Asgard. Unhand Loki and return my former self."  
Hella stood still for a moment, glaring with pupil-less eyes, her beastly form drawn into harsh lines from the ray of light, illuminating the entranced girl in the center of the room.  
" How is this?…"  
" That is not of any importance…I hate this fate that you forced upon me, I hate everything you put me through when you had Loki steal me from my family and I hate you! Unhand that idiot Loki and give young Anja back!"  
" This is a trick…I know it. A trick to prevent me from doing as I am fated. If you want an answer, then for which, accept my blade!"  
CLANKKKKk!  
With unnatural speed, Hella rushed over the floor of the Throne Room, Scythe in hand. Anja braced and met it with it's equal. A Sparks flew as whirling scythe rang upon swift-drawn scythe and Anja pushed forwards, edging to the center of the empty room near  
" You are powerful, my daughter-"  
" Never call me that, you wretch, you are not my mother!"  
clang claaang shhhirk clAAANK  
The fevered clangs alerted the teams waiting silently in their corners. Storm and Thor looked down from the clear glass dome on the roof, watching their daughter spar, and at the same time watching that same daughter, younger tied to the chair. Loki struggled to free himself of the Veils off to the side.  
" We must assist her…I cannot sit idle."  
" We have to wait until her signal." Storm held his arm which tensed as y clenched Mjolnir tightly.  
clangclangkaclang shiiiirk CLANG!  
The speed of the two Death Goddesses increased until they danced, ivory blade by ivory blade in an unnatural blur.  
" You cannot best me, Hella, give up! Eyyaah! "  
Anja shouted, surging forwards, her curved blade colliding with Hella's. This time a shining crackle of energy burst between them and threw Hella back with incredible force. However, Hella's skeletal Dragon Blödr caught her in his claw and placed her down. The undead beast roared a warning to her.  
" I see that you are extremely powerful now. I am proud, a fine Goddess of Death you are."  
Her lips curved in a sharp toothed smile.  
" I don't see why you would ever want to prevent this from happening. Think of the power!"  
" Power is not all, you Spider Witch!"  
Anja strode forward, her black feathered cloak floating around her, just as she reached little Anja, a wall of Veils erupted from the ground, forming dark pillars around the entranced girl.  
" Ah, ha ha, do you really think it shall be that simple?"

" You really think you can defeat me, little girl? You may be older, yes, but I am the reigning Death Goddess at the moment, you, nothing more than a time abnormality! "  
With that Hella summoned every Veil, a hundred Skeleton guards with pikes and spears flooded the room and the immense undead dragon surged at her. Just as the army enclosed around her, Anja shouted at the her lungs:  
" X-Men, Avengers, NOW!" The X-Men, as well as the Avengers, like a summer storm, filed into the throne room and clashed with Hella's minions.  
" Pick a card, deadmen, any card." The skeleletons edged towards Gambit who held a hand of cards up.  
" No takers? None? Well then I'll just hit ya!"  
The cards burst into flame and went slicing through the armed skeleton men, dismantling them.  
Suddenly, the Glass roof shattered above at the might of Mjolnir and Storm and Thor flew down to get their daughter who was just below them. As they descended, however, a host of screeching Veils sprung up from around her like a set trap and engulfed the two in their shadows.  
" Argh! What is this trickery!"  
" I don't know, I can't get out of it! Ahh!"  
The two bobbed up and down in the air above the Throne Room floor, tossed about like ragdolls. The veils whirled around them and all the two fighters could hear was a hideous cacophany of shrill laughter that rang in the ears. Their horrid laughter could drive one mad.  
" Ah! "

Down below, melee enveloped the floor, the X-Men and Avengers fighting Hella's army of the undead.  
" GRAAAHHH!" Hulk roared with frustrated at the fact that his powerful swipes did nothing to the veils that surrounded him and the bone soldiers that he bashed through eventually reassembled themselves.  
Wolverine slashed through his opponents and Cyclops let loose a charged beam all around frying the veils and shattering a stained glass window somewhere to the corner.  
Black Widow leapt and kicked through two of skeleton guards, but the kick did not fully shatter them. She gasped and the unnatural thing bellowed as it grabbed and twisted her by the foot. Soon three more snarling skull warriors were upon her and she looked around for a possible escape, which seemed unlikely.  
_Ssssshhhhhhink!_  
Captain America's shield blazed past and sliced them all horizontally, snapping them at their bony spines.  
" Thanks." she breathed  
" No problem. I swear, this has to be one of the strangest missions I've ever been on…"  
" You can say that again."  
" Oh man, look at Storm and Thor…."  
They saw the two immobilized within a vortex of swirling darkness, cutting the beam of moonlight right over where the child Anja still in her trance. Death Goddess Anja still crossed blades with Death Goddess Hella, each trying to gain a substantial foothold over the other.  
Hawkeye bolted around, sending swift arrows into the endless parade of Skeletons. The echoing, chaos-born noise in the room was deafening. Emma Frost immobilized the giant undead dragon Blödr that dared breathe it's ghostly fire upon her with an icy blast. Hulk saw the advantage and bashed through the beast's skeletal neck vertebrae sending the two story beast toppling to the floor. It roared and it's bones drew inwards, attempting to reassemble itself.  
" Happy Birthday mutherfu-"  
Deadpool slid out and his voice was obscured by the rapid fire shots of his loud, overpowered guns, spraying the ghastly bone dragon Blödr to the ground where it' bones fell to piecemeal bits.  
" Well I guess that works too." Emma said continuing on.  
" Showoff. That is still only one." Spiderman said, running about using his web to tangle some of the bone warriors together.

" What are you doing, why are you…well why are you, me?" Loki said to the grey-veil mirror of him, that was smashing through the ones holding him down with a twirling chain of energy.  
" I AM you, I am you if Hella would have went through with that sacrifice. I am dead, Loki!"  
" Dead?"  
" Yes, dead! Hold this!" Veil Loki tossed one of the chains that wrapped around his list.  
" Now, run!"  
The Mischief God and the Deceased Mischief God ran through a crowd of Veils, 'clotheslining' them all with the glowing energy chain.  
" Thou hast some serious thinking about thyself and thy priorities." Said Veil Loki, who continued:  
" Thou does not desire this kind of death…trust me, you would not like it!"  
" Loki?"  
Captain America saw the Mischief God and slung his shield in pure anger, not forgetting their past altercations. Loki barely ducked in time as the shield grazed a horn on his helmet.  
" Hey! Im fighting with all of you now!" He shouted, pointing to the grey, ghostly replica of himself not too far away.  
" H-how is that?" Captain America's asked his attention then turning to ramming a large Skeleton Warrior coming for him.  
Tony Stark flew about the giant throne room, carefully canon-blasting pockets of the enemies which helped a great deal…if it were not for the fact that most of the undead minions had a way of reassembling.  
" This is just unfair… we've dealt with worse, but never things that could so easily regenerate." He mumbled to himself, swerving in mid air to avoid a column.

Death Goddess Anja saw from the corner of her eye, that Storm and Thor were floating in mid air wrapped in the horrible embrace of the Veils.  
That Wraith could leach the life right out of them…I have to get them out of that.  
She clanged her Scythe against Hella's again, looping around the fray. She realized, with growing intensity, that they were equally matched.  
" Argh…"  
" Where are you little one…I WILL find you!"  
" I'll stall her." Wolverine growled from behind and leaped at Hella, feral claws extended, who parried with her Scythe.  
Anja felt the dark energy surging through her veins and tried to hide within the fighting from Hella, to unwrap a Purity apple from a pouch on her hip.  
" Rogue! NO!"  
She heard Gambit shouting while he shot a flaming deck of cards at a large Veil well enough to disintegrate it. Rogue was listlessly walking around the Throne room, her skin had turned a sickly grey.  
" She absorbed one of these undead things!" He made his way over to her and tried to shake her out of it in the dim light.  
" Rogue baby, come on…come on, wake up! Wake up!"  
She responded with nothing more than a weak moan.  
" Hold on." Anja slipped over to them and with a quick decision, snapped her last yellow Purity apple in half. She compressed one apple half in her hands until it gave off a glow between her fingers and turned into a golden dust. She came over to the Veil-Absorbed Rogue and blew the glittering dust over her.  
" W-what happened?" She said, breathing in sharply, eyes wide.  
" Thank you…" Gambit said to Anja, holding Rogue, whose color had returned to her.  
Anja nodded at them and slipped back into the fighting.  
Ironic..a Death Goddess giving back life. but now…I have to do something. She thought with urgency, running towards the center of the room where her younger self sat, her parents were still held immobilized in a shadowy, whirlpool-like blob above, slicing any of Hella's endless minions that she could along the way.  
An idea flooded into her mind, a radical idea. Maybe I could just…It would work…I know it would…and if it is for the that girl, my future, then so be it…Anja dropped the other half of the Purity Apple onto the scratched, reflective floor and slumped over.  
"I'll do it…Ragnarok…"  
Anja, the Thirteenth Death Goddess, fell to the floor.  
"I…"  
She clutched at her face as the dark, burning energy filled her, the fateful energy that she had fought bitterly for so many years.  
" Am…"  
White flames covered her kneeling, feather-cloaked body. Her cloak began to rise as a pair of immense black wings and her eyes grew pupil-less. She bared her teeth as the energy took her over, turning her skin into obsidian stone, etched with glowing white lines in an abstract, archaic design.  
" RAGNAROK!"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Pepper held Tony Jr. close to her in the Malibu house as he cried, moving about and shuttering the panoramic windows with the help. Outside, pitch black clouds of an incoming storm were moving in. The meteorologist on the flatscreen seemed stumped as a few others delivered more information to him.  
" I have never in my twenty years doing this, observed a weather system move in this kind of way. I am getting reports that similar systems are appearing in…what? Every major city?"  
Pepper slowly turned back and forth trying to calm the wailing baby.  
" I hope Tony and everyone else is okay."

() () ()

" RAGNAROK!"

The word flew across the room in a terrible, loud echo. Every veil and skeleton warrior in the room stopped fighting and turned to her.  
" What are you all doing, stop her!" Hella screeched, tossing Wolverine aside with her scythe, but her minions were not listening anymore…

" What…is that?" Logan said, the two teams turned to the new force in the giant room. The dark Wraith that held Storm and Thor in the air vanished and the two dazed fighters fell to the floor.  
" Minions, I have returned!"  
Anja was now Ragnarok, the fiery embodiment of the apocalypse had taken over her form. The Veils and undead spirits cheered in response.  
" Well now, this…kinda escalated quickly." Deadpool said, watching.  
Storm pushed herself off the ground and ran to little Anja sitting in the moonlit center chair, unwrapping her and holding her tight. Thor joined soon after. The girl said nothing, as she was still locked in a trance.  
" Oh no…" Thor said, tense, looking near the Throne Room entrance. Storm watched in horror as older Anja, in the form of Ragnarok floated in the air. Massive wings had erupted from her shoulders and her glassy, stone-skinned body blazed with white fire.  
"She's Ragnarok…she did it to disable the veils so that we could get Anja…now we have to destroy her…we have to destroy our daughter." She said, her turbulent feelings spilling over. She held her daughter in her arms now but that same daughter, who had helped turn her fate was now something that had to be vanquished.  
" Hahaha!" Raganarok laughed, her laugh tinged with a deeper, monstrous tone.  
" Now to end this pathetic excuse for a realm, all realms for that matter!" She giant wings in a soundless blast and darted out of the Throne Room through the shattered glass dome. All veils followed after.  
" Logan, hold her…we must destroy Raganrok."  
" But isn't that Anja too?" Wolverine said, hoisting the little girl over his shoulder.  
" She is no longer Anja, thats all I can say."  
Storm said, then she turned and took off with Thor after the vengeful apocalyptic spirit.  
The rest of the X-Men, Wolverine with Anja slung over his shoulder, along with Avengers, filed out of the Palace after all of them.

Loki and Ghost Loki sat around Feldnir who lay on the floor, dead. Hella appeared stunned, her spider-like body standing in cold relief of the falling moonlight from the shattered roof.  
" How could thee, Hella? I trusted you and I might have even opened mine own heart to you." Loki said as thin tears streamed down his face for his fallen friend. Ghost Loki patted his back to comfort him, although his hand went right through. Hella did not answer.  
" He was mine true friend…mine only true friend in any world." Loki said, feeling Feldnir's cold black scales.  
" Look." Said Ghost Loki, pointing to something on the floor of other side of the dark throme room, glistening faintly against the dark, wrecked floor.  
" That wasn't there before."  
Ghost Loki said as Living Loki ran past Hella and plucked the apple, returning at once to his dragon.  
" I know what this is!" Said Loki, a glint of hope returning to his face as he held up the halved fruit of the Holy Grove.

Outside Storm and Thor had intercepted Ragnarok and her assembly, high in the cold night air above the gem-like, petrified forests of the Low Realms.  
" No one could ever stop me, not God nor Mortal. I am the fated end of all worlds!" Ragnarok said, wings spread, floating in mid-air, challenging them to fight.  
" Challenging me is a fools game."  
" Anja…I know you're in there…."Storm said, a deep, leaden sadness upon her eyes at what her daughter had become.  
" Anja is no longer present. She has submitted her form to Ragnarok." Thor said, his cape wavering in the night sky.  
" I don't want to kill you Anja…" Storm said, her white hair trailing in the wind.  
" She isn't Anja, my lady, for I face the same dilemma in mine own heart, however…we have not a choice." He swallowed the words, not wanting to utter that phrase and continued:  
" Ragnarok is the fated end of all worlds. I was told the story while growing up. Never, did I ever think that it would be what mine own daughter would become." Thor said, his jaw tight. He clenched Mjolnir tightly, while Storm's hands became enveloped in electricity. The prospect ahead tore at their very souls. Anja had to be taken down.

Loki took the discarded half of the Purity Apple and compressed it in his hands, turning it to a fine golden dust which he tossed over Feldnir's form. The dust glowed hot for a moment and then dissapeared.  
" My friend…"  
He saw Feldnir's eye twitch and open, revealing their large yellow irises.  
" Thou art alive!" Loki tore at the cords that bound the dragon's legs together and he stood back up, a bit dizzily.  
" Master!" The black dragon proceeded to happily lick Loki's face with a long blue tongue and the two embraced for a moment. Ghost Loki stood there with a faint smile.  
From Hella's white eyes emerged the lines of her pupils as a stark realization came to her cold heart.  
" A mindless tool of fate. Is that all I am?…the answer to that is no. I am the Death Goddess of Asgard, A queen unto myself. I need no heiress." And she held her scythe up to the streaming moonlight in triumph.  
"..wait…My palace…" She suddenly choked, glaring around at the scratched, cracked reflective floors, bullet damaged walls, shattered windows and broken roof, ignoring the two smirking Lokis and the dragon off to the side.  
" Oho this shall be rich, watch. And remember living Loki, you dashing devil you, think first. ALWAYS. Think. First."  
Loki turned to his Ghost self and shook his translucent hand, a silent acknowledgement shot between the two and Ghost Loki faded away.  
" My Palace!My beautiful Palace! It's ruined! RUINED I SAY! " She screeched, pulling at her long black hair.

" I don't want to kill you Anja!" Storm screamed, teary eyed and Thor held her hand for a moment, floating in lieu of Ragnarok in the cold air above the palace.  
" Fools, I will-"  
Ragnarok's pupil-less eyes suddenly regained clarity. It's skin turned from a black, glowing inscription covered stone to the light-tan color of Anja's skin again. It's giant wings disintegrated into thousands of black feathers that drifted down and the flames covering it's body cooled.  
Ragnarok was gone.  
Anja, no longer Ragnarok, fell down through the icy air towards the forest. Thor and Storm sailed down after her.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Thor carried his and Storm's daughter, Anja, her long black cloak trailing, down the clearing in front of the dark walls of the Low Realm Palace, where they landed. The two teams stood outside the entrance, watching. Wolverine made a nodding gesture at Storm who realized that little Anja was moving a bit in his arms, she had snapped out of the trance. The two parents sat next to their daughter on the ground.  
" Mine daughter…thou hast done what thy desired."  
Thor said, stroking a dark blonde curl of her hair. Her light blue eyes crept slowly from underneath heavy eyelids. She saw the deep, starry sky outside of the palace and then saw the down turned, relieved faces of her parents.  
" Anja, you did it. She is safe, she won't become a Death Goddess now." Storm said with a weak smile.  
" We all did it." Anja replied.  
" Wait, don't-"  
The two parents held their daughter tight and to her shock, her touch did not kill them. The black mark on her brow faded as did the blue stripes on her jaw, leaving a normal, freckled visage. She closed her eyes and felt tears welling up, a sensation she had forgotten long ago.  
" I…I love you guys."  
Then they felt the movement of someone joining in on their embrace and saw little Anja there in her grey lace dress.  
" Thanks for helping me." The little girl said, not quite realizing that she was speaking to an older version of herself.  
" It's no problem. I had a lot of help. And Anja?"  
" Yes…Anja…" She giggled at saying her name to someone else. It was quite the time paradox.  
" When it comes time to learn how to use your Time Traveling powers…remember, always go UNDER the time flow. That's the secret, you'll understand that when you get better at your powers. Which you will. You'll get better and use them for good, not evil. To help, not destroy. And also, never take your family for granted…you just never know when they'll be gone."  
Ting Ting Ting  
A melodic ringing, similar to the sound of a distant wind-chime filled the air, as softly as down feathers.  
" Well, it looks like my time is up." Anja said, laying with her family and younger self at her side.  
" Anja…does this mean your gonna die?" Storm asked, staring down at Older Anja.  
" Yes and no, mom. True, this form will die, but I will be alive in a future that is worth being alive in."  
Thor's dark blue eyes stung with tears, as did his wife's as they watched their daughter, no longer a Death Goddess, begin to fade.  
" Be good guys."  
" We love you…"  
For the first time since they had met her, she had a smile on her face. With that, she became transparent and finally faded away.  
" Bye bye." Said Anja to the wind, holding a single black feather, which was all that was left.

" Dude, are you crying?" Spiderman turned to Deadpool, who was lifting his mask, wiping tears away fron his pockmarked skin.  
" Shut up Peter, ya dumbass..you're crying too."  
" This has been…interesting." Hawkeye said  
" To say the least." replied Captain America,  
" Well, I'm glad…we could help Thor and Storm and their girl." Tony said, wiping an eye and saw the team looking.  
" Tony's crying?" Black widow said,  
" Uh yeah, Im not a total asshat, guys. You gotta be an unemotional prick to not have felt anything from seeing that."  
Wolverine's nose twitched and nothing more as he stared off into the night next to Jean Grey. She patted him on the back.  
" I see something going on in there."  
" Nah."  
That to was as much emotion as he was ever willing to show. Gambit held Rogue close to him nearby.  
" We almost lost ya." He told her, comfortingly.  
" Guess I can never be on Ghostbusters, right?" She said holding Gambit, suppressing the urge to absorb him right then and there.

" Hey…uhh" asked Deadpool, looking around.  
" How exactly are we gonna get out of here?"

Thor and Storm, holding and swinging the hands of their little daughter, walked through the silent, petrified forest, back towards the gate. There was a pervading sense of relief amongst everyone.  
" Mommy, Daddy?"  
" Yes, Anja?" Thor replied  
" Mm hmm, honey?" Storm replied  
" When we get home, can I get a pet bunny?" She said, hopping up and down with eagerness.  
Storm gave Thor a knowing look and he smirked back. I am grateful to have a wife like Ororo and a child like Anja in addition to another, soon, he thought.  
" Of course, daughter."  
" And then after that I wanna dog, NOT a gryphon…but a regular bird and ooh ooh! I wanna dragon just like uncle Loki's aaand-"  
" Let us not get carried away, daughter…"

THE END

( Wait theres an epilogue! )


	23. Epilogue

Tony Stark reclined on the deck of his Malibu house one summer afternoon, catching some sun and sipping a drink with his paramour, Pepper. A deep Pacific ocean expanded before them, calm, tranquil.  
" This is the life, eh hun?"  
" Yep."  
Suddenly, he heard the booming sound of an explosion followed by something zooming into the air over the ocean.  
" What the hell…"  
" Tony, I handled them in the morning, I'm tired out from this whole week of film festivals and science conventions and blah blah blah. It's your turn." Pepper said, lying back in her sarong with her sunglasses hiding her eyes, not moving an inch.  
" Ugh."  
Tony reluctantly got up, wearing a pair of aviators and swim trunks and marched through the large, stylish home, hellbent on finding the noise.  
" Hey, Dad."  
" Did you make that noise?"  
" Pssh no. What do you think? Piper did that, she's out in the front yard doing something to one of your Mobile Tardis things. There was a bunch of people out there. Oh and uh, I wanna ask ya something."  
" Wait, what is Piper doing?" Tony Sr., in a pair of hawaaian print shorts, made his way down the marble-floored main hall. His gangly, red headed, sixteen year old son, Tony Jr. followed with a pair of keys jingling.  
" Can I borrow the Lambo?"  
" Have kids she said…" He mumbled, not really paying much mind to his son trailing behind him through the large polished house.  
" No like really, I promised Maiya I'd be at her big party tonight. Ya know Maiya Mardashian? Sister of Mika, Mandy and Minnie Mardashian? Their dad is that Olympic Athlete dude…"  
" It would be fun, she said." Tony Stark Sr. mumbled, turning the corner near an expensive set of Chinese vases.  
" Ok, if you WANT me to borrow the Lambo tonight, so that your son doesn't look like a total low tier jerk-off at Maiya's party, don't say aaaaanything about it."  
The two made it out the front door and saw a dark-haired, pale faced twelve year old girl in her favorite pair of colorful overalls, Piper Stark, out on the lawn surrounded by at least seven people.  
" What now!, Piper?"  
Three men in lab coats turned around and gawked at him.  
" Oh are you her father, right? Tony Stark, Iron Man, big tycoon, yes?"  
" Yeah I am. Piper Louise Stark, what did you do?"  
" I sent the Mobile Tardis into orbit."  
" Y-you didWHAT?"  
" You see dad, the Mobile Tardis that you developed has excellent climate measuring capabilities…I sent it up into the stratosphere on a double hydrogen powered rocket to collect valuable data for Climate Change research. I have calculated that it will land somewhere on the island of Fiji when the mission is done, so don't worry."  
" You what?" He blinked  
The men in labcoats turned to him and smiled.  
" That is correct Mr. Stark, We are with the EPA and the camera crew is with HBO for a new documentary called On the Edge: Science and Politics."  
" Uhh. Ookay then." Tony squinted, looking around at the camera crew, mostly confused, partly proud of his daughter's advanced intelligence and partly, desiring a stiff, cold scotch on the rocks.  
" See dad? Didn't I tell you that she was working for Russian Scientists? Probably even designed my them. I knew it all along." Tony Jr. sniped, crossing his arms.  
" I am not, you idiot!" She stomped, sounding more like a regular young teen now.  
" Well all I gotta say is that I got an awesome dad." He told the crew.  
" Uh, thanks, son?.." Tony Sr. had a hand on his forehead.  
" Because…" Jr. said, taking a slow step away from the scene, jingling the keys in his hand.  
" He's totally gonna let me borrow the Lambo!" And he darted off towards the Car Storage where Tony Stark Sr. kept at least two Lamborghinis and a Maybach, for that matter.  
" Hey, hey, what? Wait!" Tony yelled after him but his son had already scrambled off. He turned to the group of EPA scientists and camera crew.  
" May I interest you good men in some IV bags of Scotch?"

() () ()

" It's hard to believe that we are where we are now. Twenty Years."  
" Indeed, my lady, although I must say, I view time a bit differently."  
Two figures sat on a blanket against a red sky at the once familiar ocean Lookout on the Malibu hill trails. It was a late fall afternoon and the wind blew faintly, cold and tinged with salt spray. Their horses were tied to a nearby tree to graze.  
Ororo looked out over the white-capped Pacific vista and inhaled deeply. There was such peace here, upon the edge of sea cliffs. She wore a white dress that flowed around her body like water, with billowy sleeves that began near the elbow. A gold and opal inlaid crown rested upon her curly ivory hair which grazed her shoulders now. Her husband, Thor wore gold and blue half-armor and a long red cape, though he wasn't wearing his helmet. His beard had grown out somewhat, and his hair glinted a hay-gold in the afternoon light. The years seemed to caught up with the Thunder God in the form of etched frown lines above the brow. Together, they were the King and Queen of Asgard.  
" We could have celebrated our anniversary in Asgard, love." Thor said, clasping his hand around her's.  
" Yeah, we could have, and Asgard is lovely, but I see it everyday and I just wanted to do it here…I remember this place well."  
Thor gazed at her with contented eyes the same hue as the sea that roared upon the cliffs.  
" I have for thee, a gift."  
" Oh? "  
He turned and opened a small wooden chest that contained a Burgundian bottle wrapped with a gold netting and two small along with one large velvet wrapped bundle.  
" Oh, this is gorgeous." Ororo said holding the first gift which was a gilded mirror. It appeared to have a golden dragon crawling up the handle and resting at the top.  
" That is only the first thing."  
Thor gave her a small glass cup of which he also had himself. He picked the pear shaped bottle up and uncorked it, pouring the shimmering liquid into both of their glasses.  
" What is this?"  
" Drink, my love. You will surely find out."  
Ororo gave him a silver eyed smirk. Her face had handled the years better than most, with only small lines around the mouth and eyes telling of age.  
" To us." She raised the glass.  
" To us, to many more adventures to come." The two royals clinked their glasses together and drank. The liquid had a strange, rippling quality to it. She winced as the liquid stung going down the throat with an almost bitter-iron taste but leaving behind an incredible honey-sweet aftertaste.  
" Wow…so what is this?"  
" Look."  
Thor held the mirror up to her and at first she saw nothing but her own reflection.  
" I don't-"  
Her mouth parted in shock at what she saw. It happened in less then a second. There was a sensation of fire in the veins and her skin shimmered like a hot coal, then cooled.  
" Oh my god…"  
In the mirror, staring back at her, were the dewy, firm features of twenty year old Ororo.  
" But, how? How did-" She looked back Thor, grinning sitting on the blanket with her, his own strong boned features looked remarkably younger.  
" Tis the magic of Asgardian Elixir, one of out greatest secrets. Such elixir is only usable on those of Asgardian blood."  
" But I am not an Asgardian, Thor." Ororo said, staring at her features in the mirror, touching them to make sure they were real.  
" I found something if which humans call a 'loophole'. Asgardian blood ran through your veins when you carried Anja and Calder within you. Therefore, the Elixir can un-age thee, as it does for all of us Asgardians." He smiled  
" For not even we escape the ravage of time. "  
" What is it made of?"  
" Well…wine of the Purity Apple from the Holy Grove, Sap of Yggdrasil, and Phoenix Blood."  
" Oh…you mean those pretty long-tailed red birdsthat sit on perches around our palace? Poor things."  
" Asgardian law states that a Royal Pheonix from the palace flock can only be bled every one hundred years. And it is done in a most humane manner, medically. The bird regenerates itself afterward." Thor said, putting the bottle and empty glasses back into the small chest.  
" Ohh. Okay. This is so weird…" Ororo smiled and stood up. She walked to the very edge of the cliff and stretched her arms, letting the cooling sun's rays kiss her skin and allowing the wind to billow her hair and her long, pale sleeves. Ororo gazed back at Thor and then put one strappy-sandaled foot off the cliff and spun around, appearing to fall. She then laughed and summoned the wind current that she controlled to lift her. Storm soared upwards on the wind and spiraled, the wind catching and whirling her gown like petals of white rose.  
A few moments later she felt someone collide with her and hold her tight.  
" Oh, my Weather Goddess, how I love thee."  
" Ah, my Thunder God, I love you. Who would have thought…We may have had our bumps but I think we go well together."  
" Of course we do."  
Together, they floated in mid air over the windy Malibu Hills against, the flaming sun settling into the Pacific blue sea.  
" Now my lady, what is my gift?" He asked, his hand slipping down her back and the silky curves under the dress.  
" Well…we'll have to go back to the Palace for that." She smirked and gave him a wink.  
" Ohoho, I see. "  
He laughed a gruff, deep laugh and she met his lips with a lingering kiss. She then, slid up and bolted out of his grasp.  
" Catch me if you can, Thunder Man!"  
" Thou knowst I will!"

() () ()

The Los Angeles skyline glittered like technological diamonds against the velvet night, surrounded by rivers of neon traffic light.  
Atop the highest building a figure stood, flicking an arm out which extended a small silver disc into a larger one. The figure wore a pair of polished-bronze segmented ears as a headpiece atop a swirl of curly dark-blonde hair. Her cape of white feathers trailed in the night wind.  
" I am Lapin."  
In the other hand she clutched a familiar black feather on her necklace. The rest of her costume consisted of a bronze breastplate and vintage leather, high-waisted shorts. Her knee high, brown boots bore metal, cog-like designs.  
" My birth name is Anja Munroe-Thorsdottir, daughter of Thor Odinson of Asgard and Ororo Munroe of Kenya a.k.a Storm of the X-Men whose ranks I will soon be joining."  
The 20 year old charged the silver disc with a glimmering bolt of electricity and hopped on, hovering a few feet above the top of the massive building.  
" These time devices were built for me by the Asgardian Smiths."  
She crossed her arms which bore studded leather bracers and gloves. Atop each wrist was a large, clear clock device adorned with Roman Numerals.  
" Because I am a Time Traveler and Electropath. I cannot fly by myself, but I can by charging this special disc with electricity, also of Asgardian origin. These devices on my wrists help me to gauge my abilities because I can easily destroy not only myself but everything else with these powers."

" And did you mention to them that you are also a HUGE dork?"  
Anja turned and saw her younger brother, sixteen year old Calder Munroe-Thorsson standing with his arms crossed near the rooftop exit of the night-lit skyscraper.  
" And did anyone tell you that you are freaking annoying, Calder? Stop hating just because I'm getting inducted into the X-Men next week."  
She turned the disc around and stared at him, slightly unnerved at how much he looked like a clone of their dad, Thor, especially in that half silver armor, blue-caped, black Spandex and black combat-boot outfit he wore.  
" You look like dad with dreads and a deep tan. Damn Rastafarian Viking."  
Cyclone, as he was called, had inherited their father's strength and their mother's weather power with a emphasis on potentially destructive wind and rain, but oddly enough, not electricity.  
" Well it's a lot better than looking like a huge dork who monologues on top of random buildings. I'll tell you that much. And I'm not hating, I'm gonna go work with mutants of the U.N. Relief, Remember? or does your tiny dorky rabbit brain not remember things right?"  
He said, with a slightly amused look.  
" Ugh, Im not monologing, Im practicing for my induction speech." Suddenly her phone jingled and she checked the message.  
" Modi and Skadi gotta stop messaging me. I swear they're gonna kill each other, remember that duel on the Palace Lawn?" She shook her head and tucked the phone back into her shorts.  
" Yeah. It's kinda weird how they'd kill each other over some dork like you. But then again, you know, those two are like 99 percent muscle and 1 percent brain." Calder said, rising up a bit to her level on a whirl of air and crossing his legs, sitting on an invisible ball of air tension.  
" Don't say that, they're nice…Come on, Mom and Dad are gonna meet us at Uncle Tony's." Anja said and changed the charge of the silver disk which hummed in response. Both zoomed exhilarated, off over the lights and through the shimmering canyons of the L.A. skyline.

THE END

( Thank you for reading! :D )


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